Community Lives Consortium

Targeted Support Network Consultation and update

Update March 2010

Following a consultation process Network 4 went over to the targeted support model in October 2009. Network 4 has been operating this way now for 6 months therefore during April 2010 managers will be devising an action plan in order to confirm the temporary posts. This process normally takes about 3 to 4 months to complete so by the end of August 2010 we hope to have all permanent posts in place.

Network 2 has been delivering targeted support since March 2008. It was agreed last autumn with the Local Authority that we could now make this a permanent way of working in the City & County of Swansea for Network 2. Since then the managers have been implementing their action plan to confirm posts. To date all of the Support Workers have been given their new job descriptions and by the end of April 2010 we aim to have all of the Support Coordinator posts confirmed.

We have also been reviewing the support packages in the remaining networks within the City & County of Swansea however at this point in time we are unable to progress any further with the targeting support model. We will be keeping this under review as it is our aim to eventually roll targeting support out across all networks.

Network 4 - Update June 2009

Last year we put the implementation of targeted support on hold for our remaining networks whilst we reviewed network 2. We are now in a position to restart the implementation for network 4 which we hope to move over to the target support model by the end of October 2009.

We have an action plan in place which details the consultation process and the care review work needed to make this a reality.

We are also in the process of conducting the review process for the remaining networks with a view to implementing this across City & County of Swansea during 2010.

We have received a draft report from the Welsh Centre of Learning Disabilities and we are in the process of reviewing it and collating our feedback. We hope to be in a position to publish the final version later on in the year.

Network 5:

Rota Software:

The product review for the software has been completed. We have agreed to train an administrator and two other expert users. These posts will support the remaining Team Coordinators who are due to undergo the software training and the implementation of the targeted support model of service.

Satellite office:

The office is now up and running and is in the centre of Pontardawe. It is ideally located for the majority of services.

Support hours review:

We have conducted another review of hours since the implementation of the pilot in April ’07 and this has resulted in some further targeting of support.

Network 6:

General feedback:

This network has been piloting targeted support since August 2006. Staff are very positive about this way of working and we have not received any complaints from service users.

Rota software:

Staff are now receiving their rotas on a regular basis and the ‘glitches’ have been ironed out. One of the Team Coordinators has agreed to become one of the half time expert users and will support others in the setting up and running of the software.

Support hours review:

We have conducted another support hour review which has resulted in us refining some of the support sessions. We will begin to look at how Assistive Technology may help us to develop a response service in the future.

Video work:

Staff and service users have been making a video about targeted support which will be completed shortly. This video explains what targeted support is about and how it has impacted on the lives of the services users and the working lives of the staff.

Network 2:

Consultation process:

We have completed the consultation process with the Local Authority, network managers and the staff. In general the response had been very positive to trying out the pilot.

Support hour review:

We have started the process of reviewing the support packages and we are about to start the consultation and negotiation process with the Local Authority. Once this has been completed we will begin the consultation process with service users and relatives. Targeted support was implemented on 1st March 2008

Satellite office:

The office is now up and running and is in the centre of Gorseinon. It is ideally located for the majority of services. 

Networks 1 and 3:

Consultation process:

The consultation process with the network managers and staff for both networks was completed by the end of January 2008

Recruitment and implementation in Networks 1 & 3 has been postponed to enable the organisation to collate and evaluate the pilot in Network 2.

Networks 4 and 7:

Consultation process:

This commenced in April 2008 and there will be a mop up session for any staff who may have missed the other sessions in May 2008.

Support hour review:

We have started the process of reviewing the support packages and we are about to start the consultation and negotiation process with the Local Authority. Once this has been completed we will begin the consultation process with service users and relatives.

Evaluation feedback:

We have received an interim report from the Welsh Centre for Learning Disabilities which indicate that the services are ‘cost effective’ with the ‘service at least as good’. We look forward to the full report next year once network 2 has also been evaluated.

We will then be in a position to consult with our Management Committee and the Local Authorities about whether we roll this out across the agency.