Welfare Reform on the Web (July 2000): Services for the Disabled - UK
COMMISSION LEAVES LITTLE ROOM FOR COMPLACENCY
L. Green
Community Care, no. 1320, 2000, p. 8-9
Looks at the implications of the institution of the Disability Rights Commission for the work of social services departments, and how the councils see their relationship with the Commission developing.
DISABLED STAFF GIVEN WATCHDOG
J. Burns
Financial Times, Apr. 20th 2000, p. 7
A newly Launched Disability Rights Commission will undertake formal investigations into alleged discrimination and bring cases against employers and formulate best-practice action plans with business organisations. It will also act as an information service.
(See also Guardian, Apr. 20th 2000, p. 9 and Daily Telegraph, Apr. 20th 2000, p. 12)
FROM WELFARE TO WORK? SOCIAL POLICY FOR DISABLED PEOPLE OF WORKING AGE IN THE UNITED KINGDOM IN THE 1990s
M. Hyde
Disability and Society, vol. 15, 2000, p. 327-341
Both Conservative and Labour governments in the UK have introduced measures to promote labour force participation among disabled people, whilst discouraging dependence on welfare benefits. The welfare reform process has been driven by number of official concerns including a perception of unsustainable fiscal pressure and a belief that perverse incentives in the benefit system have undermined economic efficiency. It has been legitimated by an ideology of citizenship that has shifted moral responsibility for needs satisfaction away from the state to the individual. Paper concludes by proposing a better approach to welfare reform for disabled people of working age.
A JIGSAW OF SERVICES: INSPECTION OF SERVICES TO SUPPORT DISABLED ADULTS IN THEIR PARENTING ROLE
Social Services Inspectorate
Department of Health, 2000
Outlines key principles for improving services to disabled parents:
- a recognition of the rights of disabled people to be supported in fulfilling their roles and responsibilities as parents;
- a knowledge of a child welfare principles described in the Children Act 1989;
- all staff to have an understanding of the social implications of disability;
- holistic, needs-led assessments, incorporating the views of a range of professionals when necessary;
- practical arrangements and strategies to improve inter-divisional and corporate and inter-agency work.
LOCAL AUTHORITIES RISK COURT ACTION OVER DISABILITY DISCRIMATION
N. Huber
Community Care, no. 1319, 2000, p. 4-5
The new Disability Commission could take social services departments to court over mental health and adoption services that discriminate against disabled people. Users with mental problems often receive a lower level of standard of service compared with people with physical disabilities. Social Services directors plan to develop a code of good practice for social services users as well as a protocol for dealing with complaints.