Citizen Advisors - Turning Point

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Turning Point Connected Care Report 18 In the absence of the LAC programme (at a per capita cost of $3,316), the current alternatives to providing support to disabled people would be non residential services (at a per capita cost of $3,899) or residential services (at a per capita cost of $61,944). Criticisms of the LAC model in Western Australia focus on the promotion of the role and workload of the Local Area Coordinator. For example, consumers felt that there was a high turnover staff which prevented them from developing relationships with the coordinator. There were concerns that the high workload of the coordinator was having a negative impact on the time the Local Area Coordinators have for direct work with clients. Furthermore, service users reported that, whilst the overall standard of support was high, there was some inconsistency in the service provided. Other issues raised included the lack of a process to manage difficulties or disputes between clients and coordinators, unrealistic expectations, accessing the service outside business hours and the partnership opportunities that were not realised. It was also commented that Local Area Coordinators need to work more collaboratively with other agencies in order to forge working relationships and gain further knowledge of the local services available. Of most significance is the suggestion that there is lack of clarity with regards to the Local Area Coordinator role. Local Area Coordinators themselves, service users and other agencies indicated that they are unclear as to exactly what the role entails and it was suggested that the programme needs to be better communicated and promoted so as to avoid confusion. 3.2 Scotland In more recent years the model has been utilised in Scotland to provide support for people with learning disabilities. There are currently 59 Local Area Coordinators helping people with learning disabilities in Scotland to enjoy a fulfilled life in the community. An evaluation of the LAC model in Girvan, Scotland has indicated that the service is of vital importance to families. According to the report, people with learning disabilities and their families view the Local Area Coordinators very positively and they feel that they are always there to support them. Local Area Coordinators have assisted people in lots of ways, including finding support and services, getting a paid job, moving house and meeting new people through introducing them to groups and social activities. Stalker et al. (2008), in a study commissioned by the Scottish Executive which examined the introduction and implementation of LAC in Scotland, found both strengths and weaknesses in the implementation of the LAC model. They reported that there was great unevenness across Scotland in the number of Local Area Coordinators employed by local authorities and in their roles and remits. Progress in community capacity building was slow overall and some managers expressed mixed feelings about Local Area Coordinator's usefulness in a climate of scarce resources.
Turning Point Connected Care Report 19 Despite these views, individuals and families were extremely appreciative of the support received and there was evidence that LAC had made a positive difference to their lives; for example, in relation to increased inclusion, choice and both formal and informal support. There is a concern in Scotland that the LAC model is losing some of its community based element by focusing too much on service provision. In a report commissioned by In Control it is suggested that the Scottish LAC model has placed an overemphasis on access to formal services at the expense of encouraging people with learning disabilities to engage with the local community. It is argued that “LAC is a community based model”, however, “some Local Area Coordinators in Scotland have become very service focused”. This may be because the Local Area Coordinators have more experience and knowledge in helping people to access services, and they know relatively little about the local communities of which their clients are a part. However, it may also be due to how the model was implemented by the individual authority. Either way, it is an important point to consider, as it implies that the service delivery model utilised in some areas of Scotland may actually be removed from the original Local Area Coordination model. Furthermore, it suggests that the training of Local Area Coordinators is crucial and that knowledge of the local community is paramount. Moreover, echoing the sentiments in Western Australia, there is a concern that the Local Area Coordination model in Scotland has suffered from a lack of clarity, and that users and agencies in the community have little understanding of the role, its purpose and how it can add value. 3.3 North East of England Building on the success of the scheme in Australia and Scotland, the Local Area Coordination model has also been adopted by two local authorities in the northeast of England: Darlington and Middlesbrough. These two projects commenced in 2010 and are in the early stages. The LAC project in Middlesbrough places a large emphasis on prevention and personalisation. The scheme aims to support people identified with low level needs to gain access to community support to prevent them from having to access more significant or statutory support in the future. The project emphasises the importance of strengthening community capacity, and attempts to steer people away from engaging with costly and in demand statutory services, and instead directs them towards support in the community and building bridges with family members. The project is also committed to fulfilling the personalisation agenda, and is part of the Putting People First programme in Middlesbrough. By simplifying the system for clients and bridging the gap between existing services, the LAC project gives individuals more choice and control over the support they receive. The project will employ two Local Area Coordinators to cover three deprived areas of Middlesbrough. The Local Area Coordinators are expected to have a
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Citizen Advisors - Turning Point

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