The Scottish Government, working with the Joint Improvement Team, is leading an initiative to develop and test innovative approaches to some of the most challenging issues facing those who provide adaptation services.
The 2012 report from the Adaptations Working Group highlighted numerous opportunities to improve housing adaptations now, and it also concluded that a more fundamental review of adaptations was needed. The 2012 Report was welcomed by Scottish Government, particularly on its focus on tenure neutrality, personalisation, self directed support, outcomes focussed approaches and preventions.
The specific objectives are to:
- Test approaches in relation to key issues around current services and support
- Identify approaches, consistent with recommended principles, which deliver better outcomes
- Capture the learning on a continuing basis over the test period and share this across Scotland
- Inform the review and revision of the national policy and funding framework for adaptations.
The focus of the demonstrations sites will be:
- The person and their carer should be at the centre of provision
- Support for adaptations should have a prevention focus
- Adaptations should promote enablement
- Access to assessment and provision should take account of need and be fair, consistent, reliable and reasonable
- Assessment and access to financial and other non-financial supports for adaptation should be equitable, fair and anti-poverty
- People should be able to understand the systems and rules which will allow them in turn to make informed choices and remain in control of the adaptation.
It is expected that the demonstration sites will run for a period of 2 years from November 2014.
