Our Seven Demands
1. The Government shall have responsibility for and duty to provide a National Care, Support and Independent Living Service (NaCSILS), adopting into English Law Articles from the United Nations Convention on the rights of disabled people that establish choice and control, dignity and respect at the heart of person-centred planning. The rights as understood within the UNCRPD transfer across to older people as well.
2. This will be fully funded through government investment and progressive taxation, free at the point of need and fully available to everyone living in this country.
3. Publicly provided and publicly accountable.
The NaCSILS will have overall responsibility for publicly provided residential homes and service providers and, where appropriate, for the supervision of not-for-profit organisations and user- led cooperatives funded through grants allocated by the NaCSILS. A long-term strategy would place an emphasis on de-institutionalisation and community- based independent living. All provision will deliver to NaCSILS national standards. There will be no place for profiteering and the market in social care will be brought to an end.
4. Mandated nationally, locally delivered
The Government will be responsible for developing within the principles of co-production, a nationally mandated set of services that will be democratically run, designed and delivered locally. Local partnerships would be led by stakeholders who are delivering, monitoring, referring to or receiving supported services or budgets, eg. organisations representing disabled people, older people, people who use other services and care and support workers, in partnership with Local Authorities and the NHS.
5. Identify and address needs of informal carers, family and friends providing personal support.
The NaCSILS will ensure that there is a comprehensive level of support freeing up family members from personal and/or social support tasks so that the needs of those offering informal support, eg. family and friends, are acknowledged in ways which value each person’s lifestyles, interests, and contributions.
6. National NaCSILS employee strategy fit for purpose.
The NaCSILS’ standards for independent and supported living will be underpinned by care and support staff or personal assistants who have appropriate training, qualifications, career structure, pay and conditions to reflect the skills required to provide support services worthy of a decent society.
7. Support the formation of a taskforce on independent and supported living with a meaningful influence, led by user controlled groups of people who require independent living support, from all demographic backgrounds and regions. This would also make recommendations to address wider changes in public policy.