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Social care
consultation gets underway in Liverpool
MOST of Liverpool City
Council's day centres are set to remain open under proposals which
are now being consulted on. They have been developed following
informal consultation with service users, staff and carers since
March; are designed to preserve the Council's skills and expertise
in looking after some of the most vulnerable clients, and make
better use of some of the Council's buildings. The discussions
have involved older people and those who receive mental health and
learning disability assistance in day services and supported
accommodation. The aim is to ensure the City Council can
continue to support the most vulnerable in the face of £156 million
of Central Government funding cuts over the next 3 years. In
mental health, we propose continuing with 2 'hubs' in the
City, with more of an emphasis placed on recovery and re-ablement as
well as offering longer term support.
The options being consulted on would see the Council continuing to
run the following centres, which provide specialist services for the
most vulnerable:-
► The Lime (physical disability and sensory impairment)
► Middleton (older people/day services)
► Crown Street (mental health)
► Amethyst House (mental health crisis support)
► Aigburth (alcohol)
The Council also proposes to continue to run the following centres,
which mainly deal with older people, offering 24 hour re-ablement
care as well as some day services:-
► Sedgemoor (dementia and day care)
► Granby (reablement only)
► Venmore (stroke and day care)
The consultation is also proposing the following centres remain open
but are transferred to external organisations:-
► Lancaster (learning disabilities)
► Alderwood (learning disabilities)
► Parthenon House (mental health)
► Geneva Road (homeless)
► Supported accommodation (learning disability and mental health)
Under the proposals, Norris Green Older Persons day service would be
relocated to Venmore and Speke Day Centre would close, with service
users offered care support at another centre.
In addition, the Council is looking to develop better quality
accommodation to replace Besford House in Belle Vale, which is used
for respite and long term care for people with learning
disabilities. Service users andcarers would be involved in designing
the new facility. It is being proposed that Besford House would then
become a specialist residential service for those with complex needs
such as autism or acquired brain injuries, to reduce the need to
send people out of the City for care.
The proposals will deliver savings of almost £3 million per year for
the Council.
Deputy Mayor and Cabinet member for adult social care, Councillor
Roz Gladden, said:- "We have been working hard over the past
few months to find the best possible way of continuing to support
people who receive care, despite the huge cuts that have been
imposed on us by the Government. The proposals we are consulting on
would see the City Council
continue to run some care services for the most vulnerable, although
for some this may be delivered by a different organisation.
We will be listening to feedback from service users, carers and our
own staff during the consultation period over the next 6 weeks,
and there will be a series of meetings which they can attend.
We absolutely understand that any proposed change is always
difficult, and whatever proposals are approved we will work with
those affected to make sure that they are fully supported through
any transition period.
We are committed to assessing everybody's individual circumstances
and providing services that meet their needs."
The consultation will run until 12 October 2014, and all of the
documentation can be found
online,
together with a survey. Following the complete of the consultation, a report with a final
set of proposals will be considered by the Cabinet.
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200,000 more
children to benefit from free school meals
AN extra 200,000 children
in the North West will be able to benefit from free schools meals
from this week, according to the latest government figures.
Every pupil in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 (aged between 4 and 7)
is now eligible for free school meals, with improved food standards; designed to make it easier for school cooks to create imaginative,
flexible and healthy menus; giving children the nutrition they need
at lunch and break times.
This means items like low fat milk will be available every day,
along with fresh fruit and veg for healthy snacking. Cooking is also
back on the curriculum, so children will understand more about the
food they eat and how to prepare it.
Evidence from areas already providing universal free school meals
show that children eating more healthily actually perform better in
the classroom. Schools have reported better behaviour and a nicer
atmosphere as a result of pupils eating together every day.
The Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg, said:- "This week
there'll be an army of mums, dads, grandparents and carers up and
down the country trying to juggle their busy lives. They will be
arranging school-runs and childcare to working around school
activities and getting uniforms and sports kits ready. And many of
these families will be feeling the squeeze.
One of my biggest priorities in Government is to ensure that when
you and your children set out to achieve your ambitions, the choices
available to you are greater and the sums add up a little easier. At
every step on this road, we're working hard to build a stronger
economy and fairer society in Britain. A Britain fit for modern
families.
So I'm delighted to be able to say that from this month we're not
only extending free childcare for 2 year olds to help families that
need it the most but we're also rolling out free school meals for
every single child in the first 3 years of school (aged 4 to 7). That's
201,503 more children in the North West.
Free School Meals will not only save mums and dads in the North West
around £400 per year, per child but the benefits for children speak
for themselves. In areas where we've been piloting free school
meals, early research shows that pupils are up to two months ahead
of their peers in other places and have a better chance of improving
in all subjects from maths and science to writing and reading. Plus
they're more likely to eat vegetables at lunchtime rather than less
healthy options like crisps. This is also crucial for making sure every child gets the best
start; regardless of their background and how much money their
parents have. Too often in Britain's schools we still see poorer
children falling behind their better-off classmates, and it starts
to happen very early on. By making sure all little boys and girls
are getting a healthy meal we can help level the playing field and
close this gap; and for me nothing is more important than that.
That's why we've invested £760 million to double the offer of free
childcare for 2 year olds so that from this month it will now
cover up to 40 per cent of families who need it the most. That means
around 40,000 two year olds in the North West will now qualify for
15 hours a week of free childcare. You're eligible if your household
income is less than £16,190 and you receive Working Tax Credit. If
that's you, or you think it might be, your local authority is there
to help you take up a place for your child.
Too often, where a child is born or where they go to school
determines how successful they are in life. Social mobility cannot
be fixed overnight, but I'm committed to doing all I can to help
young people from deprived backgrounds overcome the barriers to
success that they face. That's why I've pushed hard to make free
school meals and free childcare for 2 year olds a reality and help
ease the pressure for millions of families across the country. I'm proud of what we're doing and the difference we are making
to children's lives; whether it's through the introduction of the
pupil premium, raising the personal allowance on income tax or
supporting more flexible parental leave. We're well on our way to
building a fairer society which helps parents make the best choices
for their children while balancing the demands of their family
lives." |
