Cyflwynwyd gan:Cyng / Cllr Dilwyn Morgan and Cyng / Cllr W Gareth Roberts
Decision:
To
approve Gwynedd Council's commitment to implementing the Learning Disabilities
Strategy locally.
Minutes:
The report was submitted by Cllr Dilwyn Morgan
RESOLVED
To approve Gwynedd Council's commitment to
implementing the Learning Disabilities Strategy.
DISCUSSION
The report was
submitted noting that the Strategy was exciting for people of all ages with
Learning Disabilities. It was expressed that the Strategy noted how the Local
Authorities would work in integration with the Health Service across the
North. It was added that the strategy
had been developed in collaboration between the six north Wales Councils, Betsi
Cadwaladr University Health Board and contributions from people with learning
disabilities and their carers.
It was noted that
the strategy vision coincided with the department's vision and added that it
acknowledged what mattered to people with learning disabilities. It was
expressed that the region had succeeded in obtaining funding from the
Government's Transformation Fund to deliver five work packages that had been
planned within the strategy.
The Senior Learning
Disabilities Manager added that the strategy set a firm direction for the
Council to work with the Health Service, and that it blended in with the
department's work. It was added that over the last three years, the Department
had been working with children and people with learning disabilities, their
families and their community to create plans and that these plans had now been
developed to create preventative teams within hubs in the community.
Members were
reminded that a stronger engagement procedure had been created in the last
three years between staff, providers, carers and service users. It was added
that by creating a service that engaged with people often, a service had been
developed and created that everyone felt part of. It was added that exciting
changes were afoot and that the strategy provided a firm foundation that would
drive the programme forward to raise the status of people with learning
disabilities in communities.
Observations
arising from the discussion
-
It was asked how this strategy could be
implemented, and it was noted that much of the engagement work carried out to
create the strategy had been held with Gwynedd people and therefore the voices
of the people of Gwynedd were to be heard there. It was expressed that when
looking at the strategy's work programme that Gwynedd was leading the way in
some fields and still needed to develop in other fields. It was added that
Gwynedd's principal focus would be to blend the work of the service and the
strategy.
-
It was noted that the hope was that the strategy
vision encouraged integrated working locally and there would be consistent
integrated work across the council departments also, especially the Education
Department and the Children and Supporting Families Department.
-
Attention was drawn to the work being done in
the Education department in the field of Learning Disabilities noted that the
strategy coincides with the department's Additional Learning Needs plans.
It was noted that the Strategy was a five-year strategy but
that the money from the Government's Transformation Fund was for a two-year
action plan. It was added that should the region have not received this money
then the strategy would still be approved. It was expressed that having a
little additional money reduced the obstacles that came up.
Awdur:A Morwena Edwards
Supporting documents: