As part of the overall effort to contain the spread of COVID-19 and in line with public health advice, day service locations closed in March.
Since then, HSE Disability Services have been working to develop national guidance on the part of the disability sector to direct how all day services can be delivered. The Guidance to support the Framework for the Resumption of Adult Disability Day Services was published by the HSE on 9 July 2020.
In developing the guidance document to guide providers, the HSE worked closely with service providers through representative organisations such as the National Federation of Voluntary Service Providers, Disability Federation of Ireland and the Not for Profit Association, in addition to Inclusion Ireland, who represent people with intellectual disabilities and their families.
The guidance document seeks to support the safe return of services in the context of ongoing public health guidance. It also recognises that the impact of public health guidance will result in services being provided at a reduced level and will require changes in how people are supported, increased use of technology where appropriate and more use of outreach supports.
Day services will gradually resume during the month of August. Service providers are already working to get day services ready to reopen safely, and in line with public health guidance. Service providers will be in touch with all families and service users during the month of July to discuss when they may expect the resumption of their service and what that service will consist of.
As services resume it will be necessary to identify how transport can continue to be provided in as safe a manner as possible and strictly within social distancing and other COVID-19 precautions. Transport providers will have to demonstrate that their transport services are safe and that all COVID-19 precautions have been established and observed. The guidance includes general guidelines and a risk assessment matrix on safe transport.
With regard to school leavers, the HSE are continuing to plan to meet the needs of all young people leaving school and people leaving Rehabilitation Programmes in 2020 that may require a HSE funded Adult Disability Day Service. Ring-fenced resources to facilitate this have been provided as part of the HSE's National Service Plan 2020. People that have left school and require a day service will be introduced to a new service during September, and school leavers referred to the HSE can continue to communicate with their contact person by telephone or email.
I want to acknowledge the many challenges experienced by individuals and their families over this difficult time. Families across the country have had their routines upended due to the impact of COVID-19 and I hope that this will be the first step towards returning to some sense of normalcy.
The Guidance to support the Framework for Resumption of Adult Disability Day Services is available on the New Directions website: www.hse.ie/newdirections. The HSE have also issued monthly communications updates for service users and their families, the latest leaflet “Adult Disability Day Services and COVID-19 - What’s Happening? July 2020” is available at the above link.
As the Deputy's question relates to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for direct reply to the Deputy.
