Agenda item

To approve Gwynedd Council's commitment to implementing the Learning Disabilities Strategy locally.

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.