Co-operative approaches to direct payments - new report

[Ruth Dineen]

The Wales Co-operative Centre and Disability Wales have published a new report on co-operative approaches to direct payments, "Co-operation and Co-operatives in the Development of Direct Payment Schemes in Wales".

• Figures show a low up-take of direct payments in Wales, with only two percent of eligible people choosing to receive care and support via this system.

• The report looks at how co-operative approaches could attract more people to benefit from direct payments and how people can come together to manage their direct payments, in mutually supportive ways.

• Work on direct payments has focused on the employment of a personal assistant to support the service user. Other relationships between direct payments and the organisational and delivery infrastructure have received comparatively little consideration.

• The report aims to address this gap and stimulate debate and renewed interest in finding innovative and creative ways to deliver direct payments. Co-operative approaches can increase the voice of and control over social care for a wider group of citizens in keeping with the aims of the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) bill.

• Shared ownership, user-control, innovation as well as a belief that people are experts in their own life characterise co-operative approaches to the delivery of direct payments.

• Drawing on experience gathered from national and international case studies, the report offers a number of recommendations including support for a stronger infrastructure to help link co-operatives, disabled people’s organisations and collective uses of direct payments.

Please note that a Welsh language version is available too: “Cydweithredu a Mentrau Cydweithredol yn Natblygiad Cynlluniau Taliadau Uniongyrchol yng Nghymru” can be accessed here: http://www.walescooperative.org/index.php?cID=829&cType=document

Document Download: Co-operation and Co-operatives in the Developmen... walescooperative.org