Annual report of the Learning Disability mortality review programme
The report was published on 4th May and early findings show that 28% of people with Learning Disabilities are dying before they are 50 compared to 5% of the general population. The most commonly reported learning and recommendations were made in relation to the need for: 
a) Inter-agency collaboration and communication 
b) Awareness of the needs of people with learning disabilities 
c) The understanding and application of the Mental Capacity Act (MCA). 
Read the full report here.

The Goldilocks question  - what size of social care provider is 'just right'
A paper from Gladsby, Needham, Allen, Hall & McKay drawing on empirical research to answer the question about size of providers. It concludes that although the study is explorative micro providers get better outcomes for their cost base.
Read the full report here. 
 

 

Newsletter
The latest Citizen Network newsletter is available here. The Citizen Network is an international movement to achieve citizenship for all.

Wiltshire is one of the latest areas to develop Local Area Coordination. News of the devleopment has already reached the local press in Westbury. Read the full article here. 

As part of the article the Mayor of Westbury, Cllr Gordon King spoke positively about Local Area Coordination:

“Local coordinators are...the bridge in the community, helping people to continue to flourish, making the most of opportunities whilst at the same time transforming local services in the community by releasing those in the professional services such as doctors, therapists and social workers to concentrate on complex cases."

The Network, Inclusive Neighbourhoods and ​Thurrock Council are in the final stages of preparations to host the UK section of the​ IIDL Leadership Exchange - "multiple evaluations and learning - Local Area Coordination in action".

There are now over 20 visitors signed up including international participants from New Zealand, Australia and Canada. There will also be representation from the Thurrock and Isle of Wight Local Area Coordination teams, as well as community members at one of the morning workshops. The exchange will bring to together leaders in their field who will be sharing work around system change linked to Local Area Coordination. 

The final programme is available here and there is more information about the exchange here. 

A social work student recently completed a 70 day placement with the Local Area Coordination team in Thurrock. The placement offered benefits for the team and the student with both learning from each other.
Over the course of the placement the student  “observed many individuals being supported” and noted their “relief at just having someone to actually listen to them without sitting taking notes or carrying out an assessment; spending time and communicating with them, being able to provide advice and guidance and making a difference, even if it is as simple as providing a phone number to someone when the individual didn’t know who to turn to.”

The work with the team influenced the student’s way of working both now and in her future social work. The student found that, following the placement, she was “much less outcome focused and more strength based and person centered when speaking with individuals”.  

Francis Allie, Local Area Coordination Manager at Thurrock, explained that the team also benefits from having social work students on placement in the team. "The main benefit identified was the work undertaken by students as Local Area Coordinators, giving them the opportunity to put theories learnt during the course of their studies into practice. Importantly, it helps with the enhancement of the Local Area Coordinator supervising / serving as practice supervisor, own professional development and ability to reflect in and on practice. However, the experience in Thurrock showed that having students on placement requires considerable time and effort from the team."