The Community Care (Direct Payments) Act 1996 introduced direct payments, allowing some disabled people to purchase the provision of their own support. In 1997, a pilot project was established in Norfolk, to consider the implementation of direct payments in a largely rural county. The Joseph Rowntree Foundation supported the pilot scheme by funding a researcher to assist with an evaluation of the project.
The Community Care (Direct Payments) Act 1996 introduced direct payments, allowing some disabled people to purchase the provision of their own support. In 1997, a pilot project was established in Norfolk, to consider the implementation of direct payments in a largely rural county. The Joseph Rowntree Foundation supported the pilot scheme by funding a researcher to assist with an evaluation of the project.
Subject terms:
older people, physical disabilities, direct payments;
Home shopping is an important aspect of community care services for older and disabled people, but is costly and complex to administer. As social services struggle to find the necessary resources to support them, new approaches involving internet- or phone-based 'teleshopping' services are being explored. This research, designed and tested several models for teleshopping. It has provided new information on user needs, possible teleshopping models, and on technology options and financial and legal issues. An intermediate teleshopping model, for use before internet access becomes widespread, is identified. The project also explored the technology requirements for a more sophisticated internet-based service that might be developed in the future.
Home shopping is an important aspect of community care services for older and disabled people, but is costly and complex to administer. As social services struggle to find the necessary resources to support them, new approaches involving internet- or phone-based 'teleshopping' services are being explored. This research, designed and tested several models for teleshopping. It has provided new information on user needs, possible teleshopping models, and on technology options and financial and legal issues. An intermediate teleshopping model, for use before internet access becomes widespread, is identified. The project also explored the technology requirements for a more sophisticated internet-based service that might be developed in the future.
Subject terms:
information technology, internet, older people, physical disabilities, social services, access to services, cost effectiveness;
The Shaping Our Lives project, working in partnership with Black User Group (London), Service User Action Group (Wakefield), Ethnic Disabled Group Emerged (Manchester) and an alliance of user groups in Waltham Forest (London), looked at the application in practice of on-going work about what service users meant by 'user-defined outcomes'. Both the research and the development projects covered a range of experiences - including those of older people, mental health users, minority ethnic communities and disabled people and involving 66 users in all.
The Shaping Our Lives project, working in partnership with Black User Group (London), Service User Action Group (Wakefield), Ethnic Disabled Group Emerged (Manchester) and an alliance of user groups in Waltham Forest (London), looked at the application in practice of on-going work about what service users meant by 'user-defined outcomes'. Both the research and the development projects covered a range of experiences - including those of older people, mental health users, minority ethnic communities and disabled people and involving 66 users in all.
Subject terms:
mental health problems, older people, outcomes, physical disabilities, service users, user participation, user views, advocacy, black and minority ethnic people;
Using data from the Department for Work and Pensions, this study explores changing patterns of claim rates of Income Support (IS) and income-based Job Seeker's Allowance (JSA-IB) in England between 1995 and 2000. It carries forward earlier work using administrative data and demonstrates the power of such data in measuring changing fortunes over time for different area units and claimant groups throughout England. Following the recession in the early 1990s the British economy enjoyed a period of sustained economic growth. The impact of this recovery has, however, not been shared equally by different groups, whether these are defined geographically by area, or by claimant group category. The study looked at changes in claim rates by claimant characteristics (lone parents, unemployed, 'disabled and others', those aged 60 and over, families with children, and claimants who are in their fifties) and by location (Government Offices for the Regions (GOs), local authority districts and wards).
Using data from the Department for Work and Pensions, this study explores changing patterns of claim rates of Income Support (IS) and income-based Job Seeker's Allowance (JSA-IB) in England between 1995 and 2000. It carries forward earlier work using administrative data and demonstrates the power of such data in measuring changing fortunes over time for different area units and claimant groups throughout England. Following the recession in the early 1990s the British economy enjoyed a period of sustained economic growth. The impact of this recovery has, however, not been shared equally by different groups, whether these are defined geographically by area, or by claimant group category. The study looked at changes in claim rates by claimant characteristics (lone parents, unemployed, 'disabled and others', those aged 60 and over, families with children, and claimants who are in their fifties) and by location (Government Offices for the Regions (GOs), local authority districts and wards).
Subject terms:
income, income support, jobseekers allowance, older people, physical disabilities, social services, single parent families, statistical methods, unemployment, benefits;
Public spending on housing adaptations - permanent or fixed alterations to make homes more suitable for disabled occupants and their families - amounts to more than £220 million every year, and both numerical demand and unit costs are growing. This research examined the effectiveness of these investments from the point of view of those who have to live with them. Presents the findings of the study.
Public spending on housing adaptations - permanent or fixed alterations to make homes more suitable for disabled occupants and their families - amounts to more than £220 million every year, and both numerical demand and unit costs are growing. This research examined the effectiveness of these investments from the point of view of those who have to live with them. Presents the findings of the study.
The Government's Supporting People Programme aims to redirect current funding for services to help people live independently, so that local authorities and their partners can plan and deliver support services in a more consistent and accountable way. Presents finds from a review of the programme considering how it strengthens support for independent living or whether there are gaps in the proposed provision.
The Government's Supporting People Programme aims to redirect current funding for services to help people live independently, so that local authorities and their partners can plan and deliver support services in a more consistent and accountable way. Presents finds from a review of the programme considering how it strengthens support for independent living or whether there are gaps in the proposed provision.
Subject terms:
income, independence, housing, older people, outcomes, physical disabilities, social care provision, supported living;
Despite some recent policy acknowledgement of the potential role of low intensity support services in assisting people to live independently, community care resources continue to be targeted mainly on high level, often crisis, interventions. Partly because of this continuing focus, there has been little consideration of the evidence of the value of low intensity services. The Centre for Housing Policy, University of York, has now undertaken a systematic research literature review of the effectiveness of such services in enabling people to live independently in ordinary housing. Presents the findings.
Despite some recent policy acknowledgement of the potential role of low intensity support services in assisting people to live independently, community care resources continue to be targeted mainly on high level, often crisis, interventions. Partly because of this continuing focus, there has been little consideration of the evidence of the value of low intensity services. The Centre for Housing Policy, University of York, has now undertaken a systematic research literature review of the effectiveness of such services in enabling people to live independently in ordinary housing. Presents the findings.
Subject terms:
independence, housing, literature reviews, older people, physical disabilities, social care provision, supported living, surveys, user views, evaluation;
Survey evidence suggests that young people, older people, unemployed people, disabled people and people from black and other minority ethnic communities are underrepresented as volunteers in mainstream organisations. Researched carried out by the National Centre for Volunteering found that some organisations have addressed the barriers that face potential volunteers from these groups and secured their involvement through the adoption of practical measures and a real commitment to equality of opportunity.
Survey evidence suggests that young people, older people, unemployed people, disabled people and people from black and other minority ethnic communities are underrepresented as volunteers in mainstream organisations. Researched carried out by the National Centre for Volunteering found that some organisations have addressed the barriers that face potential volunteers from these groups and secured their involvement through the adoption of practical measures and a real commitment to equality of opportunity.
Subject terms:
older people, physical disabilities, unemployment, user participation, volunteers, young people, black and minority ethnic people, equal opportunities;