‘How’s Life?’ Scotland’s Learning Disability Survey
In May 2019, the Scottish Commission for Learning Disability (SCLD) will launch a survey for people with learning disabilities living in Scotland. We hope as many people with learning disabilities as possible will respond, and we are looking for organisations to help in whatever way they can.
This survey has been developed with the help of Ipsos Mori, and with a number of partners:
- Pamis
- Down’s Syndrome Scotland
- People First Scotland
- ARC Scotland
- Key
- Enable Scotland
This survey will give people with learning disabilities (over the age of sixteen) the chance to have a say about their own lives. It will cover topics including:
- Family and Friends
- What you do with your time
- Life satisfaction
- Where you live
For more information about the survey please click on link: Scotland’s Learning Disability Survey Information
Expansion of free personal care
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and Health Secretary Jeane Freeman visited the Capability Scotland Edinburgh Hub ahead of the extension of free personal care to people of all ages who are assessed as requiring it.
The expansion of free personal care – which was previously only available to those aged over 65 – comes into force on April 1 2019 and is often referred to as ‘Frank’s Law’ after the former Dundee United footballer Frank Kopel. Frank was diagnosed with dementia at the age of 59 and sadly died six years later in 2014.
The expansion means that anyone who is assessed by their local authority as requiring personal care will receive it free of charge, regardless of their age, condition, capital or income.
The First Minister met with staff at the centre and spoke with some of the people attending the hub who may benefit from the change in the law now or in the future.
She said:
“I’m very pleased that this legislation is now coming into effect, ensuring that all those who require personal care are able to access it free of charge, regardless of their age, condition or income.
“This change will help thousands of people across Scotland receive the support that they are entitled to without being impacted financially.
“I’d like to thank Amanda Kopel, Frank’s widow, for her tireless work bringing to public light the issues of personal care for under 65s. She has ensured this remained prominent in the public’s mind and she should feel very proud that it is now being delivered.”
Health Secretary Jeane Freeman said:
“We’ve made the necessary changes to the law, and issued clear guidance to local authorities, to clearly set out the expansion of free personal care. For the first time everyone under the aged of 65 who is assessed as requiring personal care will receive it for free.
“To ensure this is delivered we’ve backed this with £30 million of new funding to local authorities across Scotland. This is a step change in the provision in personal care in Scotland and we’ll continue to work with our colleagues in councils to ensure it is delivered in full.”
Background
The Community Care (Personal Care and Nursing Care) (Scotland) Amendment (No. 2) Regulations 2018 comes into effect on April 1.
From then people can no longer be charged for personal care services they are assessed as requiring. Personal care includes areas such as; support with personal hygiene, issues with mobility, food preparation and support at mealtimes, and assistance with dressing or getting in or out of bed.
Social care services may be chargeable, such as help with housework, laundry, shopping and services outside the home, such as day care centres.
Midlothian Disabled People’s Assembly
You are warmly invited to join us for coffee, pastries and lunch to celebrate the launch of the Midlothian Disabled People’s Assembly 2019.
Join us and pick up your free copy of the invaluable new version of Forward Mid’s acclaimed Directory for Disabled People 2019
When – Wednesday 27th March 2019
11.30am – 1.00pm
Where – St John’s and King Park Church, Dalkeith (across from Morrisons)
Hear about a range of disabled people’s services and new initiatives and how you can help improve the lives of Disabled People in Midlothian.
Guest Speakers, Local Councillors and information stalls from voluntary & 3rd sector organisations.
We hope you see you there!
If you have problems with transport contact us and we’ll try to help.
Learn about local services. Connect with others. Have Good conversations. Have your voice heard.
The Directory is produced by Forward Mid as a one-stop source of accurate, supportive, empowering particularly for Disabled People across Midlothian and the carers and professionals who support them.
For more information phone Eric at 0131-663-9471
Mike Oliver, pioneer of ‘revolutionary’ social model of disability, dies
Dr Mike Oliver is best known for affirming that removing the disabling barriers that limit and oppress people with impairments is a social – not an individual – responsibility. Please read the report in the link below.
Lcil news test form
LCiL’s newsletter, Lothian Disability News is produced every quarter by Grapevine Disability Information. It is aimed at disabled people and their supporters in Edinburgh and Lothians and includes news and events, updates on LCiL services and other relevant articles on disability issues. Previous editions can be downloaded from the E-library (link here)
The newsletter is distributed in a range of formats including standard print, large print, audio and braille. To save paper and be kind to the planet we encourage our readers to sign up to receive it via email.
Privacy:
Your privacy is really important to us therefore we need consent if we are to store your personal details on our secure systems.
LciL’s privacy policy has information about how we protect and use your personal information. Read our privacy policy in full here (Doc)..
Please complete fields below to sign up to LCiL’s newsletter:
Inclusion Scotland Disabled Leadership Network
Inclusion Scotland is hoping to build a ‘disabled leadership network’. This will be a network comprising of disabled people who want to become stronger leaders, within their community, workplace, education setting, or within politics and activism.
Our hope is to facilitate a platform where disabled people can develop their leadership skills and gain the confidence to lead in areas where they would like to see change.
We want this network to be shaped by disabled people’s voices and opinions. Please help inform the network by filling in this short survey and sharing it amongst your members: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/85YBKSC
Test form
We have updated our data protection policies to bring them into line with new GDPR regulations which came into force in May 2018. Under the new rules, we need to confirm that you are happy for us to hold your personal information and if/how you would like us to contact you.
The information we hold about you is currently held digitally and in hard copy under current data protection standards and will only either be:
There are occasions when we will be in contact with you; in particular, to inform you of any relevant information, but we will never share your data outside of the organisation.
If you wish to withdraw consent or change any of these preferences, please email [email protected] or call us on 0131 475 2350, or write to us at LCiL, Norton Park, 57 Albion Road, Edinburgh, EH7 5QY
If you wish to withdraw consent, we will move your details into an “Initial Non-Consent Document”, where we will maintain your data for three more years before deleting. If at any time within this three-year period, you decide you would like to be contacted, we can reinstate your details as well as your contact preferences with your consent. More information is available about our privacy policy here: http://www.lothiancil.org.uk/about-lothian-cil/disclaimer/
Scottish Government Job Grant Consultation
The Scottish Government is consulting on its key eligibility criteria and format of the Job Grant, a new benefit which will be delivered by Social Security Scotland to support young people moving back into employment. The grant will be paid to 16-24 year olds (up to 26 years old for care leavers) who have been out of paid employment for 6 months or more and who have been in receipt of a qualifying benefit specified by the Scottish Government.
The purpose of this consultation is to seek views on the key eligibility criteria and our proposal for the format of the payment for the Job Grant. We also want to identify any unintended consequences of our proposals.
They are keen to gather views, particularly from young people aged 16-24 (up to 26 years for care leavers) and those of people who represent these age groups.
You can find the consultation via the link below: https://consult.gov.scot/social-security/job-grant-eligibility-criteria-consultation/ and the consultation will remain open until 9 April.
New transitions resource from Contact
Contact is delighted to announce that our new transitions resource for parents and carers is now live!
You can find the new site here: www.talkingabouttomorrow.org.uk. If you’d like to tweet about it, the hashtag is #TalkingAboutTomorrow.
The site was created in partnership with parents across Scotland to bring together the information families tell us they need.
Contact worked closely with Lead Scotland and Edinburgh solicitors Gillespie Macandrew to run workshops, development sessions and focus groups involving more than 200 families during a 2-year project supported by the Scottish Government through a CYPFEIF and ALEC Fund grant.
ILF Scotland Transition Fund
Are you aged 16-21, and living with a disability in Scotland? You could be eligible for up to £7,500 in funding, for 1 year, from the Transition Fund! We can support you to try new activities and experiences that will enhance your independence, confidence and help you to spend more time with other people.
For more information click on the link: