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rESEArcH rESEArcH

financial problems, people the individual (for example,
HoW ArE cArE AcT living in squalor (or actually if they were making risky
becoming homeless),
decisions about money).
ASSESSmENTS AffEcTINg ADUlTS and involvement with the Secondly, we were told
police because of problems
about people who seemed
WITH lEArNINg DISAbIlITIES? with drink or drugs. to be overplaying their
needs, in order to get
There were also stories
about people whose needs more out of the system.
related to parenting, Both scenarios are
The Care Act came into effect in April 2015 and has started to whose children were at risk problematic. Practitioners’
make some difference to assessment practices. Val Williams, of being taken into care. response was to use their
Some of these people were
own professional judgement.
Jon Symonds, caroline miles, mike Steel and Sue porter, said to be very suspicious They spoke about the
a team from the Norah Fry Centre for Disability Studies, examined how about social services and so assessment as an ongoing
they are affecting people with learning disabilities and conclude that did not always accept the process where they may
they are causing some problems but also having successes. need for assessment. be making judgements all
Social workers mentioned the time they are with
the need for advocacy in someone – partly based on
several cases but what they observe in the
Background (Williams, Porter et al., spectrum of clients who are found major gaps in home, or what they can see
The Care Act came into 2014; 2015). A new duty assessed by social workers, specialist advocacy services. the person can do.
force in April 2015 in has been introduced to including those assessed as
England, introducing the provide advocacy for those having ‘borderline’ learning Disabled people wanted to This can be difficult from The team were told about health crises, hospital discharge, financial problems, people living in
requirement to assess any who have ‘substantial disabilities and who may be in control of assessments the point of view of people squalor (or actually becoming homeless), and involvement with the police because of problems with
adult who appears in difficulty’ in being involved be able to access small and really disliked social with learning disabilities drink or drugs. But the Care Act has generated a lot of energy amongst frontline practitioners to
need of care or support. in assessments and lack amounts of funded workers telling them what themselves and we were defend the rights of people with learning disabilities and to support them in what they want to do.
It replaced the ‘Fair Access suitable friends or relatives support or community- they needed. One person told how hard it is to have
to Care’ criteria, where to represent them. based services. said it made her feel ‘very a voice during assessment Above the research team together with people from the co-researcher group:
front row: Valentina Cavallina and Rhian Jutton; middle row: Caroline Miles, Jon Symonds, Mike Steel;
people had to show they very stupid’, as if she was processes. Social workers back row; Val Williams, Nathan Hill.
had critical or substantial findings People do not necessarily not really coping. This was were aware of this and tried
needs to qualify for Only two of the practitioners fall into neat client groups also a theme from one of the to manage assessments so
social care. we interviewed worked in and the social workers practitioners. They wanted that both the person with help other practitioners References and
learning disability teams. interviewed wanted to see assessment to be person- learning disabilities and and disabled people to get further reading KEy mESSAgES
The Care Act focuses on People known to these teams their clients holistically. centred and to leave an their family members have together in workshops or Williams, V., Porter, S. and
the principle of ‘wellbeing’. tended to have been known For instance, people may ‘open space’ for clients to a voice. This is one of the training days. Marriott, A. (2014) Your Life, • Under the Care Act
Assessments must be to the social workers over a come forward because determine what outcomes points we are exploring Your Choice: support 2014 people with
person-centred, identify the period of years. of their hearing or vision were important for them, with practitioners during Although the Care Act planning led by disabled mild learning
person’s own chosen problem but it then turns out as in the Care Act. user-led workshops. promotes self-determination, people’s organisations. disabilities can be
outcomes, and identify Other practitioners from that they also have a mild However, it was clear that previous work has shown British Journal of Social Work: assessed for social
needs which, if met, would general ‘adult’ teams also learning disability. In many there was a spectrum of Conclusions that many people with 44, 1197–1215. care. This can be
enable the person to achieve gave examples of working of these cases, people were clients, with some people Assessment can be a learning disabilities need Williams, V. and Porter, helpful for them,
those outcomes. with people with learning coping until there was a being seen as reliable and complex process and support in making decisions, S. (2015) The Meaning of if there are services
disabilities and with clients crisis and that was the point others as less reliable. requires lots of skills on the and many would benefit ‘choice and control’ for or community supports
We know from past research on the autistic spectrum. at which social services People with learning part of both the practitioner from advocacy. Practitioners people with intellectual they can access.
that people with learning got involved. disabilities in general tended and the disabled person. felt that they needed more disabilities who are • People with learning
disabilities may need more They gave some interesting to be considered ‘less It is hard to talk about the help in understanding the planning their social care disabilities could be
guidance and support than hints about how the Care We were told about health reliable’ and that could be things which you cannot assessment of capacity, and and support. Journal of benefiting from
some other groups Act is broadening the crises, hospital discharge, for two reasons. do, and to seek support the way in which the Mental Applied Research in
for those needs, and it can Capacity Act might work Intellectual Disabilities DOI: independent advocacy
As one social worker said: make people with learning together with the Care Act. 10.1111/jar.12222. 1-12 under the Care Act
STUDy TITlE: THE VAlUES of ASSESSmENT: ‘‘Sometimes they need disabilities feel depressed but there are gaps
DISAblED ADUlTS AND SocIAl cArE help but don’t want it, or undermined. Energy Authors’ note in provision.

and sometimes they want In the meantime, though, This article summaries • Families and carers
Aims help and don’t need it’. This project brings the Care Act has generated independent research have a key role to
To find out about how social care assessments get done, from the point of view of disabled people together a lot of energy amongst funded by the National play in supporting
disabled people themselves and from the perspective of practitioners In the first instance, there with practitioners, so that frontline practitioners to Institute for Health Research people in assessment
methods were people who seemed both can understand more defend the rights of people School for Social Care processes and it is
A disabled people’s group from a centre for inclusive living worked on the project, to be in need of social about the other during with learning disabilities Research. The views important to find ways
alongside a mixed team of researchers at Norah Fry Centre for Disability Studies. services support but were workshops which we are and to support them in what expressed are those of the of including their views,
Methods included story circles about experiences of assessments with 25 disabled underplaying their needs. calling ‘A Joint Enterprise’. they want to do. It is a good author(s) and not necessarily while ensuring the
people (in three groups); interviews with 30 practitioners and managers over three local Sometimes these situations That approach could be moment to carry on the those of the NIHR SSCR, voice of the person
authorities; audio-recordings of seven assessments in practice, and joint workshops with were seen as risky, used more widely and we efforts to make sure people NHS, the National Institute with learning
practitioners and disabled people. with social workers feeling are planning to produce with learning disabilities get for Health Research or the disabilities is central.
they needed to safeguard some materials which can better lives. Department of Health.

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