Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 17 October 2012
283. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Health the measures, if any, he will put in place to ensure that all young adults with an intellectual disability and or autism, finishing second level education, may have further education, training or day service payments and a personal input into same in 2013 [45053/12]
View answerI understand that the Deputy is enquiring about placements for school leavers in 2013.
Day services for adults with disabilities and mental health issues provide a network of support for over 25,000 people who have a wide spectrum of need, ranging from those with severe and profound disabilities who are likely to need long-term specialist service provision to people with lower support needs and greater potential for community participation and inclusion. The HSE, through its Occupational Guidance Service, works with schools, service providers, service users and families to identify the needs of young people with disabilities who are due to complete their second level education. The aim is to address the needs of individuals in the following ways:
- Health-funded rehabilitative (life skills) training;
- Health-funded day services;
- FÁS-funded vocational training;
- Approval to extend education placement for a specified time.
The demand for services for school-leavers continues to grow. In 2012, the number of school-leavers who require services is almost 700, and the position in 2013 is expected to be similar. Budgetary constraints and the moratorium on staff recruitment give rise to challenges in service provision. In addition the physical capacity to provide further services may not be present in all agencies. However both the voluntary sector and the HSE are committed to the best use of available resources in a creative and flexible manner to be as responsive as possible to the needs that present. While the HSE makes every effort to provide day services to people over 18 on leaving school, this has always been dependant on the availability and location of appropriate places coupled with the needs of the individual school-leaver. The HSE is currently reviewing the outcomes for 2012 school leavers in terms of placements achieved and scoping out the likely requirements for 2013.
There is evidence that an accelerated move towards a new model of individualised, person-centred service provision in the community can help to achieve efficiencies, particularly in relation to services for those with mild or moderate intellectual disability. The HSE has established an implementation project team to oversee the implementation of the recommendations in the report of the national working group for the review of HSE funded adult day services. The report, published in February 2012, titled 'New Directions' proposes that day services in the future take the form of a menu of 12 individualised, outcome-focussed supports which will provide adults with disabilities with the support necessary to live a life of their choosing in accordance with their own wishes, aspirations and needs. The guiding principle for the future is that supports will be tailored to individual need and will be flexible, responsive and person-centred.
