Hampshire Learning Disability Partnership Review

Voiceability, an independent advocacy organisation, was commissioned to carry out a review of the Hampshire Learning Disability Partnership Board (HLDP) and the five Local Implementation Groups (LIGs) in 2020. It had become apparent that the attendance and engagement of people with learning disabilities at some LIGs had decreased over time. Members of the HLDPB and many professional allies wanted to see a more active role for the HLDPB, holding them accountable for their promises with clear actions monitored by the Board.

The Review was tasked with investigating the following points and to develop a series of recommendations for the HLDPB to consider:

1. To review the effectiveness of the current Partnership Board and LIG arrangements in Hampshire in the following ways:
   - Effectiveness of engagement with as wide a population as possible
   - Information sharing
   - Effectiveness of the Board’s ability to hold promisers to account.
2. What are the barriers to people with learning disabilities of all ages and their carers being involved in the work of the Partnership Board?
3. Does the membership reflect the demographic of Hampshire, particularly in terms of age, gender, and ethnicity?
4. To review the differences and similarities between the Carers’ Partnership Board and the learning disability partnership board.
5. The effectiveness at which the LIGs develop local collaboration, relationships and networks
6. How are presenters and others successfully ensuring people with learning disabilities are able to access the information they discuss

Due to the national lockdown in January 2021 all engagement was carried out online. Many parent carers expressed the opinion that the review should be delayed until after the pandemic, however the decision was made to extend the length of time taken to carry out the review was extended. This allowed people with learning disabilities as well as parent carers to learn new digital skills to allow them to take part.

In total Voiceability co-ordinated 18 workshops for people with learning disabilities, 7 workshops for parent carers, 2 workshops with parent carers focussing specifically on issues around people deemed to have complex needs, 2 workshops with providers, 1 workshop with local Mencap organisations and 1 workshop with each of the 5 LIGs. People with learning disabilities were supported by advocates to take part in the workshops where required to ensure that they were able to fully participate and ensure that their voices were heard.

The report was published in June 2021 and the key recommendations (set out in the accompanying document) contained within it were agreed by the HLDP in September 2021. Since the recommendations were published significant work has taken place to ensure that people who took part in the review, particularly members of the HLDP and LIGs, have remained engaged in the follow-up. The self-advocates on the HLDP, with the support of advocacy, have provided the HLDP with updates on how they feel the recommendations are being implemented.

To assist in this, and to support the implementation of the recommendations, an engagement and development officer has been employed by the County Council, with a parent carer and several self-advocates taking part in the interview process. This has been done very much in partnership with the self-advocates who are either members of the HLDP or used to be part of the LIGs.