Hammersmith & Fulham Council and local Disabled People's Organisations (DPOs) have agreed a vision for Independent Living. Independent Living is the right of Disabled people to live in the community with the same choices, control and freedoms as everyone else. It means all Disabled people being treated with respect, having full rights and opportunities, living in their own homes, choosing who they live with and where they live. It means being part of and adding to our communities, economy and society.
The aim of the Independent Living Delivery Group
The Independent Delivery Group was established in 2023 to provide the energy and leadership to co-produce a delivery plan to make the Independent Living Vision a reality. The group is using the Independent Living 12 Pillars as the framework for focus and change.
Our work will also help realise the commitment of the Disabled People's Commission report 'Nothing About Disabled People Without Disabled People' to advance Independent Living and equality for Disabled people who are furthest away from decision making. The plan will therefore set out how independent living will become a reality for young Disabled people, people in institutions or "placed" out of borough, asylum seekers and refugees, and people living with dementia.
The group includes council members, officers, Disabled residents and community resident-led organisations working together equally to co-produce solutions to make the best use of resources to improve lives and enable full independent living. The group is supported by Action on Disability on behalf of Hammersmith & Fulham Council. This places the group in the community and builds leadership by Disabled people's organisations and by residents.
The group is taking an approach to its work based on:
- The Social Model of Disability – that people are 'disabled' by the barriers in society
- The 12 Pillars of Independent Living
- Article 19 UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
- H&F Disabled People's Commission's report and recommendations Nothing about Disabled people without Disabled people
- H&F Council's Independent Living Vision
How we work
To ensure our work is effective and inclusive, the group will:
- make strategic links with H&F Council departments, external agencies, organisations and individuals to further its aims
- review information about what the council and partners do and how effective this is at promoting Independent Living. This will focus on service transformation using the Independent Living pillars as the framework for change
- consider information from Disabled people, and via DPOs (disabled people's organisations) and other local organisations that provide services to Disabled people, about their views and ideas to promote independent living and remove barriers
- review and consider how effectively Disabled residents are involved in decision making
- be aware of resources that will help such as the council's co-production checklist and practical ideas via the other co-production groups and staff networks, ensuring these align with the 12 Pillars of Independent Living and support residents in challenging and improving Independent Living approaches.
To ensure the work of the group makes a difference, we will develop, and review the delivery of an Independent Living delivery plan setting out what needs to happen to make the changes needed. This will include ways of working to ensure:
- workforce support to understand and promote Independent Living
- support and services are developed with residents, learning from what's worked well and increasing choice through peer support, innovation and investment
- Independent Living is central to the transformation of all policy and services that affect Disabled people's lives such as housing, employment, environment, education and community life. This adds value to the local economy helping to keep money local and focused on advancing equality.
Our initial priorities
Whilst Independent Living is about all areas of life, the group has decided to focus on initial priorities to help social care use the framework of Independent Living to drive all of its work.
Assessments and support plans - The group is currently working on understanding people's experiences of assessment and support plans. We will be working alongside members of the Direct Payments Steering Group to consider how people can have much more say over the decisions that affect their lives and control over the support and services they use.
The group has already made some recommendations about workforce training on disability equality to ensure social care workers fully understand Independent Living and promote this is the context of removing barriers, tackling discrimination and advancing equality.
Over the coming year, the group will be working on its other initial priorities including:
- young Disabled people
- people who live in institutional and out of borough settings
- commissioning – how social care services are planned and reviewed
Membership of the group
The group is co-chaired by a resident and by the Director of Adult Social Service and Independent Living.
There is also a "back-up" or buddy resident chair to provide support and continuity.
There will be a representative from Co-Production Matters H&F.
Members include: Disabled residents, the elected councillor (councillor lead on Health and Adult Social Care Policy and Accountability Committee – HASPAC), representatives from Action on Disability, senior officers from H&F Council and Parentsactive,
Get in touch
Please contact Nikos Tzenas, Project Lead – Coproduction & Disability Equality at Action on Disability
- nikolaos.tzenas@aod.org.uk
- 0207 385 2098 or 0790 813 0959
For general information on co-production in Hammersmith & Fulham and how to get involved, email coproduction@lbhf.gov.uk