A strategic assessment of the accommodation with support needs for people with a learning disability, autism and mental health conditions 2020-2030

Building the Right Home and the National Service Model state that people should have choice about where they live and who they live with. It is critical that people have the right accommodation to meet their needs to ensure sustainable housing solutions. This means that we have to have a personalised response to accommodation, which will require us to fully understand a person’s individual needs and then seek to meet those needs in the best possible way. The project set out to provide the evidence for accommodation needs in line with the principles that people with learning disabilities and/or autism who display behaviour that challenges, including those with a mental health condition should be supported to live in their own homes in the community with the right support, in a home of their choice, where they feel happy and safe.

To assess the accommodation needs case management data was analysed along with interviews with practitioners while those with lived experience took part in designing and completing a survey. The project identified that some existing placements for all cohorts could move to supported living. The 10-year projections across the ICS, taking re-lets into account show a need for 663 units of accommodation with support for those with learning disabilities and autism, while the need for those with severe mental health needs is 653 accommodation units.

Building the Right Support (October 2015) and the National Service Model identify the need to provide accommodation that meets the needs of those with learning disabilities, autism and those with a mental health condition who display behaviour that challenges. To develop accommodation that meets the needs of these cohorts is both a national and regional challenge. This project, to identify the needs for the next 10 years gives both a clearly identified need and the starting point for a solution.

Co-production to make sure the voice of those with lived experience was central to the project. We were fortunate to have Speakup as part of the project as they already work with partners to make sure services are accessible for those with autism and learning disabilities. Having an experience advocacy group and consultants helped to keep the project on track when delivering during the pandemic.

COVID meant that from the beginning all partners had to think how we could deliver the project within the constraints of lockdown and the local authority focus on the emergency response. This was new for everyone, but we all had experience of delivering this work face to face so had that to fall back on in developing virtual solutions. Everyone was committed to delivering the project because this work is a priority for health, adult care and housing. With the strength of experience, we were able to make sure that the voice of those with lived experience stayed central to the project.

• Developed a specification to recruit an experienced advisor to make the strategic needs assessment
• Made the inclusion of those with lived experience an essential requirement of the tender
• When we could not meet with those with lived experience made sure they were central to the development of the replacement questionnaire and survey
• Held regular project updates to share any issues and resolve any blockers to progress
• Made sure we shared draft findings with senior leaders and included feedback in subsequent project stages

This report gives the underpinning needs assessment to allow for the development of delivery plans at ICS and local authority level that are based on evidenced need.

Following on from completion of the report we held a workshop to confirm the finding and to agree the next steps.  The outcome of the workshop was to develop an action plan with regional (ICS level) and local authority actions.

Currently we are looking to bring in some additional resource to give capacity to lead the delivery of the recommendations.

We were aware that what we were aiming to do was ambitious within the time and cost envelope. A key element in securing the success of our project was being clear what we wanted to achieve in our specification; focusing on experience of delivering similar pieces of work that included the views of those with lived experience. The Transforming Care Housing Project Group already existed, and the delivery of a strategic needs’ assessment was already an identified priority for the group.  Members of the group were already committed to work together to deliver and this gave the project an already established governance structure.  A high-level strategy was already in place, but this was specifically around the Transforming Care cohorts.  The housing needs assessment project allowed us to widen the scope to incorporate all individuals with LD, Autism and SMI’s who require additional support to be included.

Although the COVID pandemic did threaten to slow the project down at the beginning, the fact that everyone involved had to adjust to a new way of working encouraged us to be flexible to focus on the delivery of our agreed outcomes. Our consultants, Campbell Tickell and our partner for those with lived experience, Speak Up were prepared to be flexible and work with us to find ways to deliver.

• Already a strategy in place and the strategic needs assessment was already identified as necessary to deliver the strategy
• Co-production was already an established way of working.
• We could use existing governance structures through Transforming Care Partnerships and an existing Transforming Case Housing Project Group to deliver the project and its recommendations.
• Positive engagement from key stakeholders
• Senior leadership support and buy in including Assistant Director of Housing picking up the SRO role for the project.