SCIE Knowledge review 14: Having a good day? A study of community-based day activities for people with learning disabilities

By Angela Cole and Val Williams with Ann Lloyd, Vince Major, Molly Mattingly, Barbara McIntosh, Paul Swift and Ruth Townsley

Published: February 2007

This knowledge review addresses a specific question: What has, and what has not contributed to the successful provision of community-based day activities for all people with learning disabilities? The review focuses on case studies based in ordinary communities, the changing needs and diversity of people with learning disabilities and future ways forward.

Key messages

The research review identifies eight key ingredients for achieving successful community-based provision:

• partnerships with people and their families
• leadership
• cultural change in services
• personalised planning with and for people
• individualised funding and direct payments
• 'smart’ commissioning
• staff development
• community capacity building

Context

In 2005 a national survey of people with learning disabilities found that 39 per cent of all people with a learning disability attended a day centre, two-fifths of whom attended five days a week. It also found that one in six had a paid job compared with two-thirds of men and half of women in the general working age population. Two thirds of the people who were unemployed and able to work said they wanted a job, but the range of jobs available to them is narrow, with a pattern of low hours and low wages.

The situation suggests that many local authorities are struggling to move away from large, congregate day settings for people with learning disabilities and to achieve increased provision to meet demand. Development is 'situational’, affected by the local social, political, economic and demographic context. It is a varied and evolving picture around the UK.

Purpose

This knowledge review looks at what has and what has not contributed to the successful provision of community-based day activities for all people with learning disabilities.

Audience

This review is intended to inform all those who plan, organise, deliver and use community-based day activities for people with learning disabilities. It will be used by SCIE as the basis of practice guidance in this area.