Susan Hunter

When self‐directed support meets adult support and protection: findings from the evaluation of the SDS test sites in Scotland

Purpose – This paper aims to explore the possible connections between self‐directed support and adult support and protection, both of which are important policy developments in Scotland.Design/methodology/approach – The authors draw on findings from the national evaluation of the test sites or pilots of self‐directed support in Scotland and interviews at two time points with adult protection leads in the test sites. These interview data are set in the context of Scottish developments in adult support and protection.Findings – Self‐directed support and adult protection had not been joined up initially. In the three Scottish test sites those responsible for adult safeguarding had not been engaged with the changes. They were unclear about the new systems and were concerned about the implications of reduced monitoring of risks. Shared training between those implementing self‐directed support and those carrying out adult protection work was viewed as a way of bridging these different areas of practice through ...

To close or not to close? The future of learning disability hospitals in Scotland

This article deals with the resettlement of people with learning difficulties from Scottish hospitals. First it outlines the policy background, tracing the rise and demise of the long-stay institution. It then reports on a study examining current resettlement policies in Scotland, where there is no national closure programme. The research found that resettlement is largely in disarray, with particular difficulties in planning, financial arrangements and inter-agency collaboration. There is a great risk of hospitals being perpetuated or reconstructed, particularly through the activities of NHS Trusts, and of people with dual labels remaining resident in them for years to come.

Supported Employment in Scotland: Some Issues from Research and Implications for Development

This article arises from the authors’ experience of undertaking research on behalf of the Scottish Executive, following the deliberations of a national working group focusing on employment (Scottish Executive, 2003) set up to progress the recommendations of the Same as You? review (Scottish Executive, 2000), Scotlands equivalent of Valuing People (DoH, 2001). The detailed findings of the research study and its methodology can be found elsewhere(Ridley et al, 2005); only a brief summary is given here. The main purpose of this article is to contribute to a debate about the achievements and under‐achievements of supported employment in the contemporary Scottish context. The research findings are used to discuss where we are now, some of the main problems, and how policy and practice need to move forward and develop. We suggest that the time is ripe to initiate strategic change in policy and professional practice. Supported employment must be firmly embedded in the wider employment landscape and the practice agenda of professionals, in order to ensure that real, paid jobs in integrated settings become a routine option for people with learning disabilities who express these aspirations.

The Scottish children's hearings tribunals system: a better forum for parents with learning disabilities?

Parents with learning disabilities are over-represented in child care proceedings and are more likely to lose their children to state care. Evidence from Anglophone countries suggests that the adversarial forum of the court disadvantages these parents and limits their direct participation in the process. This exploratory study examines whether the Scottish childrens hearings tribunal system could promote greater responsiveness to parental needs and support fuller direct participation in decisions about the welfare of their child. Views were not unanimous but on balance, potential for the parental voice to be heard was found and the support of lay advocates was key. The findings point to deficits in legal representation, underscoring the importance of structured time and skill in communicating with people with learning difficulties as a pre-requisite for the effectiveness of legal representation provisions for parents.

Response to ‘Progress with Learning Disability Hospital Closures in Scotland’

The paper comments on the preceding Service Feature, drawing on research carried out by the authors, and finds that there is still a long way to go to achieve two SAY objectives.