Consultation on Children and Young People's Advocacy Services
Welsh Government is seeking people's views on the development of a national standards and outcomes framework for children and young people's advocacy services in Wales.
This consultation introduces the standards Welsh Government would expect for children and young people’s advocacy.
It sets out a framework by which
advocacy service providers and commissioners of advocacy services can measure progress.
The consultation document and response form are available on the Welsh Government website here. Deadline: 22 May 2013
Clear and Easy
A new bilingual handbook called 'Clear and Easy' has been developed to help organisations produce accessible information. The handbook promotes the use of both Easy Read and Everyday language and is full of useful tips on how to make sure your information is accessible as possible. For more details, contact Learning Disability Wales on 029 20681160.
News
Social Services and Well-being Bill Unveiled
On 28th January 2013 the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Bill was introduced into the National Assembly for consideration and scrutiny. If the legislation is passed, it will provide the legal framework for improving the well-being of people who need care and/or support, and to transform social services in Wales.
- Strengthen powers for safeguarding of children and adults;
- Allow the extension of the range of services available by direct payments;
- Introduce national eligibility criteria and a National Outcomes Framework;
- Introduce portable assessments;
- Introduce equivalent rights for carers to the people they care for; and
- Establish a National Adoption Service to improve the outcomes of children in need of a permanent family.
On launching the Bill, Deputy Minister for Children and Social Services Gwenda Thomas said:
"There will be a stronger focus through the bill on preventative and early intervention services, based on greater partnership working and integration of services between local authorities and partners.
"This bill will help us all tackle the many challenges facing social services in Wales, but will also allow us all to seize the opportunities before us".
Read the full Bill (as introduced) and find out more on the National Assembly website.
Deputy Minister releases statement on action taken in Wales following Winterbourne View
In 2011, BBC's Panorama programme revealed shocking levels of abuse at a private hospital for people with learning disabilities near Bristol called Winterbourne View. In August 2012 the results of a Serious Case Review were published followed by the Department of Health's final report on Winterbourne View in December 2012.
On 14 January 2013, Deputy Minister for Children and Social Services Gwenda Thomas, released a statement providing an update on the actions take in Wales since the airing of the BBC Panorama programme. The statement covers a number of areas including Health Inspectorate Wales, CSSIW, the new Learning Disability Advisory Group and the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Bill. To read the full statment, click here (link to Welsh Government website).
New Advisory Group Meets for First Time
The new Learning Disability Advisory Group (LDAG) met for the first time on 3 September 2012 in Cardiff. Co-chaired by Dr Roger Banks, Consultant Psychiatrist at Betsi Cadwaladr Health Board, and Sophie Hinksman, All Wales People First, the new group is much smaller than its predecessor with just 12 members. However, the group intends to call upon the knowledge and expertise of individuals and organisations outside the group in order to inform its work. The LDAG will advise Welsh Government on issues that affect the lives of people with learning disabilities and their families/carers.
Welcome to the LDIAG website
The Learning Disability Implementation Advisory Group (LDIAG) was set up in 2002 to oversee the Welsh Government's response to the report 'Fulfilling the Promises'. The group's role was to make sure that learning disabilities remained high on the agenda in Wales. It also advised the Welsh Government on learning disability issues and promoted the rights of people with learning disabilities.
Members of the group came from all sectors of the learning disabilities field including people with a learning disability, parents and carers, representatives from education, health, local authorities, research, the voluntary sector, service providers and individuals.
The group aimed to build on the Welsh Government's vision for the future set out in the 2007 Statement on Policy and Practice for Adults with a Learning Disability. Click on the links to find out more about the history of the LDIAG, minutes of meetings or the work of the sub-groups.
This website also contains lots of information about learning disability issues in Wales such as policies, reports, newsletters, events and useful contact details. Our aim is to keep you up to date on the latest developments in Wales for people with learning disabilities.
Update: The LDIAG met for the last time in September 2010 following the Deputy Minister's decision not to implement the group's proposed action plan. It was agreed that a new advisory group was needed with a new remit and membership. Gwenda Thomas, Deputy Minister for Children and Social Services, agreed to set up the new advisory group. Unfortunately, this process took longer than expected but on 3 September 2012, the brand new Learning Disability Advisory Group (LDAG) met for the first time. Watch this space for more information about the new group!