Agenda item

Progress report for the previously completed Day Opportunities for Adults review.

Consideration was given to the assessments of progress on the implementation of the recommendations from the Committee’s previously completed review of Day Opportunities for Adults.  This was the second progress update following the Committee’s agreement of the Action Plan in June 2022, with developments in relation to the outstanding agreed actions noted as follows:

• Recommendation 1 (SBC and its relevant partners continue working with people accessing services and their families / carers to understand demand for both traditional building-based day service provision and community-based activities. This should include:):

e) Considerations around the potential for assisting with identified transportation needs (e.g. ensuring public / private transport options are accessible and respond to the needs of people who use day opportunities): The Teeswide Dementia Friendly Community Network had continued to work with the SBC Licensing team and had trained over 500 taxi drivers.  No sessions for bus drivers had been completed.

Members expressed disappointment at the lack of training sessions with bus providers to help raise awareness on how they can deliver their services to people who use day opportunities, as well as concern around the clarity of bus stop locations in Stockton High Street (it was felt that SBC had a key role here and that this was not all down to the bus companies).  In related matters, the issue of wheelchair-accessible taxis had also been raised within the Licensing Committee, and that whilst such vehicles were more expensive, attempts were being made to introduce more of these into the existing fleet.

f) Changes to the existing budget for SBC in-house and commissioned services: The planned quarterly dashboard, including data on day opportunities spend, was produced in March 2023 and shared across the team.  Work had also been completed to realign staff responsibilities to match changes in demand.

The Committee reaffirmed the need for the continued monitoring of the uptake of services to ensure that the Council’s offer was providing value-for-money.  Whilst it was positive that some individuals chose, and were able, to manage their own personal finances in terms of accessing day opportunities, it was important to track changes in demand for existing services.  Officers agreed to share dashboard-related information as part of the next update on progress.

• Recommendation 3 (SBC Adults and Health and Children’s Services directorates reinforce joint-working to identify and support opportunities that are most meaningful to younger people (including a reflection on any updated results from the Disabled Children’s Team online survey), and strengthen the dissemination of information about existing services): Representatives from the Adult Social Care teams, as well as Lanark and day services, attended a ‘Planning for Adulthood’ event on 23 March 2023 – this was well received, and highlighted required work around transitions to ensure the right types of service / infrastructure were in place.  Key staff will attend a follow-up event at Newtown Community Centre on 27 November 2023.

Members requested feedback on the November 2023 event as part of the next update on progress.

• Recommendation 4 (SBC to follow-up with Catalyst regarding the views of the wider VCSE sector around future day opportunities involvement (e.g. promotion of / access to existing VCSE activity, potential funding streams, volunteering)): The scheduled meetings between SBC and Catalyst had stalled following key members of the monthly meetings leaving the Local Authority – this had been picked-up with Catalyst and the 1:1 meetings had been reinstated.  It was, however, noted that community facilities were now used more effectively and that services continued to move away from solely building-based provision.

Strengthening communication with, and of, the voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) day opportunities offer was emphasised by the Committee, something which officers stated the Council continued to push.

• Recommendation 5 (SBC and its relevant health, social care and VCSE partners share and work towards an agreed vision for day opportunities across the Borough through the most appropriate mechanism (existing or new)): Since March 2023, the Council had continued to implement the transformation of day opportunities, including a decision not to progress with the development of South Thornaby Day Centre (but rather develop the offer through Community Day Options and Allensway), engagement with the top five VCSE day services providers to establish possibilities for more collaborative working, and investigation of digital opportunities to enhance the offer through the Council’s day services providers (e.g. Digital Social Care Record).

In the absence of an ‘assessment of progress’ grading, it was agreed that this recommendation would continue to be viewed as ‘on-track’.  Members also requested the names of the ‘top five’ VCSE day services providers as part of the next update (it was noted by officers that this list had now grown).

AGREED that…

1)    the Day Opportunities for Adults progress update be noted.

2) the next update on progress includes requested information as identified.