Decision details

.

The Group Director, Community & Children’s Services presented Members with the report which provided key information and issues relating to the Council’s current day service offer for people with a learning disability.

The Group Director explained that the current day service offer was predominantly building based and followed a traditional “day centre” maintenance model that provided services for adults with a learning disability with limited scope to offer choice and control and raise aspiration for people - a more innovative and diverse response is required. At present Covid-19 has impacted on the ability of day services to operate some of the existing building based day services due to the requirements for social distancing and it was added that this could have longer term implications. The Group Director commented that it was important that Adult Services take on board any learning and good practice from during the pandemic to help shape the future day services offer.

The report before Members looked to recommend that with Cabinets agreement the Council continue ongoing engagement with people with a learning disability, their families and carers, staff and partners and co-produce a new day opportunities strategy to transform the Council’s current day services offer for people with a learning disability and ensure that services, both in the short and long term, are arranged and delivered in a way that achieves the best possible individual outcomes for people and make the best use of Council resources. The Group Director discussed the production of a draft day opportunities strategy for approval prior to formal public consultation, if Members were in agreement.

Members were advised that the Council were currently unable to provide a day service at Treforest Day Centre due to the serious flooding and damage in February 2020 and that this service remained temporarily closed, which would allow for further evaluation to be undertaken when the proposed draft day opportunities strategy is reported back to Cabinet for approval

The Cabinet Member for Adult Community Services & Welsh Language spoke of the common theme running across the transformation agenda and the recognition of the need to improve the offer the Council provide to adult population, in particular older and vulnerable people, including those with  learning disability.  The Cabinet Member added that it was widely acknowledged that the current provision was limited and agreed that it was the right time to review and improve the service provided.  The Cabinet Member welcomed open discussions with user groups, clients and wider population, to improve the opportunities available.

It was RESOLVED:

1.    To consider the information provided in this report, including the summary of key observations and feedback from the engagement undertaken as part of the implementation of the new Learning Disability Transformation Programme.

2.    To approve the on-going engagement with people with a learning disability, their families and carers, staff and partners and the proposals to co-producea new day opportunities strategy to transform the Council’s current day services offer and future service provision in Rhondda Cynon Tafas set out in Section 9 of the report.

3.    To receive a further report that presents the co-produced draft day opportunities strategy for people with a learning disability for approval prior to formal public consultation.

4.    To  approve to the Treforest Day Centre remaining temporarily closed and for arrangements to continue to be made to support people registered at Treforest Day Centre and their families and carers to meet their assessed need as set out in paragraph 7.21 of the report.