EQUALD
Equal Access to Flexible Support Planning for Adults with Learning Disabilities
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What is EQUALD?
EQUALD is a research project working with adults with learning disabilities, carers, social workers, academics, local authorities, care providers and anyone who is interested in people having maximum control over their own lives to develop resources to help more people use Individual Support Funds (ISFs) well.
We know that personal budgets for adults with learning disabilities is one way of receiving money that can give them choice over their money and support. However, some individuals cannot or do not want to manage their own budget; this is where ISFs can help.
What are Individual Service Funds?
Individual service funds are one way for local councils to pay for people’s care and support. This is an alternative of payment for individuals who do not want to manage their own money through Direct Payments but want control, choice, and flexibility over how their care is delivered. A key part of ISFs is that support is person-centred. An ISF is an agreement between the local authority, the individual and the care provider. The provider holds and manages the personal budget, they can provide support from their own organisation or arrange support from alternative places on the individual’s behalf.
What is the problem?
We know that very few adults with learning disabilities are currently offered ISFs. Some Local Authorities do not have the processes in place to arrange ISFs with providers. Some social workers are concerned about how to check the quality of support. Providers may not have methods of recording how much is spent on support. Some adults with learning disabilities are unaware of the option of ISFs, or whether it is the right choice for them.
What will this project do?
In this project we will be looking at existing evidence and working with Local Authorities, support providers, adults with learning disabilities and their families and carers to find out how the different systems can work together to make ISFs successful.
We will be using this information to co-produce two resources to support the delivery of ISFs:
to support the development, delivery, and monitoring of ISFs by those working in adult social care
to support the uptake and management of an ISF by adults with learning disabilities and their allies
JARGON BUSTER:
Individual service funds (ISF)
A flexible way to pay for and manage your care and support
Individualised funding
Giving a person the amount of money they need to do the things they want to do. This involves co-production with the person.
Co-production
People being involved in planning things, right from the start.
Stakeholders
Stakeholders are people who have an interest in a project or organisation. They may fund it, benefit from it, or work for it.
Stakeholders in an ISF might include:
the person who needs care and support
their family
the social worker
the Council
the care provider.
Realist research methods
Finding out about what makes something work well.
If a person has great experience of using an ISF, what exactly happened to make it "great"?
This project is funded by the NIHR Health and Care Services Delivery Programme (NIHR151776). The views expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care.
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