DAD Newsletter

Break Through!

May 2010

Welcome

Darlington Association on Disability (DAD) began as a charity in 1986. Our aim was to bring disabled people together through regular meetings and social events as well as provide a personal support service using volunteers. We set out to influence planners locally and campaign for improved services. Since we started we have grown and now have ten projects. We continue to grow as all of our projects expand and evolve. We maintain our position as a focal point for services and support and our expertise is valued by the Local Authority and Health as well as by disabled people locally.

Tender Success

We are delighted to report that we recently won tenders from Darlington Borough Council to continue to deliver the Carers' Support Service, Direct Payments Support Service and Dimensions Disability Initiative. This will enable us to develop each of these projects further.

If you need this newsletter in another format, such as electronic, audio, large print or Easy read, please contact Jane Woodward, based at DAD office in Horsemarket.

Telephone 01325 489999

Fax 01325 488188

Email jane@darlingtondisability.org

This newsletter is supported by the National Lottery through the Big Lottery Fund.

Personalisation and Citizen Experts

Personalisation is a way of describing how support for vulnerable people will be provided in the future. It will affect social care services and other public services. Personalisation is a major topic of interest across public services as it will change relationships between commissioners and people who provide services, as well as staff and service users.

The idea behind personalisation is to give people real choice and control over the support they receive, instead of other people deciding for them. People can choose to be involved in planning and organising their own support, or they can choose others to do it for them. Some people will see radical changes in their lives; others will notice very little difference.

DAD is looking to recruit a number of Citizen Experts who will play an important and key role in supporting the local authority to shape adult social care services in the future. Expenses will be paid for all work. Opportunities include paid and voluntary positions. Full support will be given, including meeting up with other experts to share knowledge and views. Work may include contributing to local authority work streams which are developing personalisation, contributing to disability impact assessments, supporting other disabled people and carers around the issues of personalisation.

To be a Citizen Expert you must have:

• personal experience as a disabled person or carer.

• current or previous experience of using support or services.

• commitment to undertake training.

• the ability to share views and those of other disabled people, and listen to the views of others.

For more information please contact Tracy at Enterprise House telephone 01325 360524 or email tracy@darlingtondisability.org

Disabled people to get Right to Control services

Through the Welfare Reform Act 2009, the government has put in place a Right for disabled people to have more choice and control over the state funding, services or equipment they receive. This means that personalisation has to extend beyond adult social care, to other services and support used by disabled people and to cover a wider range of funding streams and public bodies. Local authorities, Jobcentre Plus, the Independent Living Fund, Access to Work and specialist disability employment programmes are likely to be affected by the introduction of the Right to Control and may have to change how they deliver support to disabled people. To find out more visit www.odi.gov.uk

Consultation on Council's Fairer Contributions Policy

The Department of Health has recently produced new guidance to Councils on calculating a person's contribution to the support and care they receive.

The new system is intended to be fairer for all people, in that the contributions they make will better reflect the actual care being given. The system is also related to the introduction of Personal Budgets, where people receiving care have a greater say in how to meet their needs in a more flexible way.

The new system will mean a change in the way people's contributions are worked out. There will also be an impact on the charges some people pay; in some cases it will mean an increase in charges, in other cases people may not be affected and the amount paid will not rise.

Darlington Borough Council has put together a consultation document to show how they plan to change the way an individual's contribution towards their support is calculated. Individuals, carers, staff and the Council's partners have the opportunity to comment on these proposed changes.

Currently, some services to support people are charged while others are not. Everyone is assessed if they are currently receiving a service that is chargeable. The proposed policy would require most people, who receive support paid for by the Council, to be assessed so that people contribute what they can afford. The Council wants to ensure that future arrangements are fair to everybody.

The changes will not affect people living in long-term residential or nursing care or those receiving after-care services under Section 117 of the Mental Health Act 1983.

DAD is keen to get your views on how the changes may affect you. If you would like to be involved in a discussion group please contact Jane to register your interest, telephone 01325 489999 or email jane@darlingtondisability.org

If you would like to comment on the changes proposed please contact Adult Social Care and Housing for a copy of the policy, telephone 01325 346200 or email gail.banyard@darlington.gov.uk. The consultation documents are available at Central House, Gladstone Street.

They are also on the council website www.darlington.gov.uk

The consultation ends 5pm Friday 25th June 2010.

Local News

Disabled Parents' Group

DAD is setting up a group that will provide disabled parents somewhere to get together socially, support each other, get information and advice, campaign and raise awareness. If you would like to attend, or for more information, telephone Enterprise House on 01325 360524.

Bowes Museum Park Development

The Bowes Museum is redeveloping the park around the museum and wants local disabled people to get involved. To express your interest telephone Jane at DAD on 01325 489999 or email jane@darlingtondisability.org

Parents' Forum

Carers of Disabled Children in Darlington (CDCD) is run by parents, for parents and aims to bring parents together through term time events and forums to share information, concerns and ideas. The steering group meets every three weeks. If you would like to know more contact DAD on 01325 489999.

Carers' Week 14th to 18th June 2010

The Carers' Support Service invites you to celebrate National Carers' Week in Darlington. We are holding two events at Bondgate Methodist Church on Tuesday 15th June 10am to 1pm and Thursday 17th June 12noon to 3pm. The theme of the events is “A Life of My Own”. There will be hobbies and crafts to see, tasters to try and people to meet.

Across the town there will be information on Carer notice boards in all the GP Surgeries. Staff will be free to talk to you during Carers' Week at the MacMillan Information Centre, which can be found at the main entrance of Darlington Memorial Hospital on Monday 14th June 10am to 12pm and Wednesday 16th June 1pm to 3pm. For more information on Carers' Week telephone us on 01325 357533 or email carers@darlingtondisability.org

Form filling and benefits advice

Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) no longer has funding to provide bookable outreach appointments at DAD offices. If you need support to complete Disability Allowance Forms, Attendance Allowance Forms, benefits or debt advice contact DAD Information Service who can signpost you to someone.

Telephone 01325 489999 or email info@darlingtondisability.org

Deaf Duty

If you have a hearing impairment and need some support you might find it useful to drop into Central House, Gladstone Street. Jane Cox and David Hugill from North Regional Association for Sensory Support (NRASS) are there to support you every Tuesday 9am to 1pm and 2pm to 4pm.

Saturday Film Club at Darlington Arts Centre

For disabled children, their family, friends and carers to enjoy films in a professional cinema setting and still to go out for a break, make noise or move around at any time. A donation of £1 per person paid on the door helps towards administration costs. The next films to be shown are on 29th May and 12th June. To book your place, please telephone Education Centre for Down's Syndrome on 07806707465.

Patient Experience Team

The Patient Experience Team (Patient Advice Liaison Service and complaints) provides support with queries, concerns and complaints relating to GP out of hours and urgent care services, district nursing, school nursing, health visiting, community hospital and other community NHS services for County Durham and Darlington. They help ensure that the NHS listens to patients, their relatives, carers and friends.

You can contact The Patient Experience Team on 0800 783 5774 Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm (excluding bank holidays).

Email dar-pct.pals@nhs.net

The address is: Bede House, Belmont Business Park, Belmont, Durham, DH1 1TW.

National Autistic Society Events

The help! 2 seminars aim to provide parents and full time carers with information and advice, to support them in the care of their child with an autistic spectrum disorder (ASD). The seminars cover a range of topics including how to write social stories, make your own visual supports, supporting the siblings of your child with an ASD, managing anger in young people with Asperger Syndrome, anti-bullying and meeting your child's sensory needs. Places for parents and carers are free. For more information on dates and venues, telephone Joanna at DAD on 01325 489999 or email joanna@darlingtondisability.org

Local Area Co-ordination - Is it Right for Darlington ?

Darlington Council wants to find out if local area co-ordination could make a difference to people in Darlington.

Local area co-ordinators have links with health, education, social services and the voluntary sector. They act as a link to bring people and services together. They will support people if they want to make changes to their life. They will help people to find out their goals and how to work towards them. They help people to access local services and make things easier for disabled people to get involved in community life. They can help people to make choices about the support they need.

Should we have local area co-ordination in Darlington? Peter Fletcher Associates Limited is organising an event on behalf of the council to find out what people think. The event is on Friday 21st May in the Dolphin Centre in Darlington.

If you would like to come, you can book a place by going to the weblink: Peter Fetcher Associates

You can also phone Peter Fletcher Associates on 01434 684944.

DAD Project Focus

In each edition of our newsletter we will look at one of our projects in more detail. This time we will cover Dimensions Disability Initiative.

Dimensions Disability Initiative is a DAD project used by disabled people who have physical or sensory impairments. Members influence and lead our work, which is based on the Social Model of Disability, promoting independence, choice and control.

Dimensions members:

• Recognise the need to challenge and break through the physical, financial and attitudinal barriers which disabled people face on a daily basis.

• Work at their own pace to devise Personal Development Plans, setting goals which include access to education, training, leisure and/or employment.

• Access a wide variety of training opportunities including Confidence Building, Independent Living Skills, Key Skills, Information Technology and Disability Equality Training. We also offer less formal projects and workshops including Digital Camera and Deaf Awareness.

Whatever your interests or ambitions are, we can assist you in achieving your goals. If you are interested in being a member telephone us on 01325 254840 or email dimensions@darlingtondisability.org

DAD Website

If you are a veteran surfer or have just joined the World Wide Web why not visit our website at www.darlingtondisability.org As well as information on our work the site contains an online Information Guide, a recruitment page for internal and Direct Payments vacancies, an explanation about the Social Model of Disability, and a link to www.wheelygood.org Darlington's own accessibility Town Centre map.

How you can support DAD

Become a member

DAD is a user-led organisation and a registered company. By becoming a member you can support and influence our work. Membership is free and is open to disabled people and non-disabled people who actively support our mission and aims. If you receive support or information from us you automatically become a non company member and will receive a newsletter. We also have formal company members. 75% of our Trustees and the majority of formal members must be disabled people. By becoming a formal member you can support and influence our work. You will receive an invitation to members' meetings and other events and can take part in decision making by voting in elections.

Volunteer

Without our volunteers we would not be able to operate. Every year we rely on the valuable work delivered by over 60 regular volunteers across all of our projects. In addition DASH play services annually recruits and trains an additional 40-50 volunteers to support its holiday playschemes.

The Access Interest Group makes a difference for disabled people in Darlington by highlighting good practice around access issues both physical and attitudinal, raising concerns with planners and monitoring public access across the town. The group needs new members to support its work.

Make a donation

Visit our page on the justgiving website www.justgiving.com/dad to make a secure on-line donation. The page also allows you to follow our fundraising activities and sponsor an activity. You can also make a donation by calling in to any of our offices.

Get involved in fundraising

Raise funds for us by organising a fundraising activity or taking part in one of our events. If you have a good idea for raising money or have some time to spare to help with an event, please let us know.

Recycle

We can raise much needed funds by collecting and recycling ink cartridges and mobile phones. The main office in the market place has a box near the door to receive your donation.

For more information on how you can support DAD telephone 01325 489999 fax 01325 488188 or email mail@darlingtondisability.org