Independent living for disabled people
much more than an advice service... @ComDevDASL
www.disabilitylambeth.org.uk
Welcome
David Strong, Director
Welcome to a new issue of The Mole. We hope you’ve had a good summer and look forward to working with you over the coming months.
there is a very strong case for us to continue to be funded adequately to enable us to support the thousands of Disabled and older people and carers who use our existing services and to play our part in developing new ones. We hope that the updates on our current services in this issue are informative. As ever, we encourage you to contact our services and those of our partners in the ILCP (details on pages 11 and 12) if you need our help.
The report of the inquiry of the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities into the UK’s progress in fulfilling its commitments under the UN Convention on Disabled People’s Rights has just been published. It is a stark reminder of what our members and service users, struggling with the impact of cuts in local services and the welfare benefits system, already know. The inquiry found that the Government is failing in its duties in everything from education, work and housing to health, transport and social security. The Equality and Human Rights Commission has commented “This is a damning assessment by UN experts of the failure to protect disabled people’s rights across many areas of life in the UK”.
DASL will be working over the next six months on a new Strategic Plan to take us forward over the coming three years. We will want your views and look forward to starting the conversation with you at our AGM about what you want from us as an organisation. In the meantime, we hope to see many of you at our annual event to mark National Hate Crime Awareness Week on 18th October.
There is certainly much to do and we must make the most of the opportunities available to us to ensure that the needs and interests of Disabled people and carers are given a higher priority. We have news of two developments which might help to do this — the report of the Lambeth Equality Commission, which has a particular focus on Disabled people, and the development of a new Lambeth Framework for Carers’ services. With our partners in the Independent Living and Carers’ Partnership (ILCP) we are awaiting a decision by Lambeth Council on the funding of our main services through to 2020. We believe
DON’T FORGET DASL’S AGM! Advance notice that our 2017 AGM is here at We are 336 on Friday 1st December from 11am 1pm followed by buffet lunch. As ever, we would love to see as many members and supporters as possible and anyone with an interest in our work is most welcome. Formal invitations will go out in early November but feel free to contact us if you would like more details before then.
Front page photo: SPA group at Slade Gardens. Find out more on page 5.
Contents
7. Invitation to our Hate Crime Event
2. Welcome
8. Peaceful Nature Project
3. DASL’s New Advice Worker
9. Lambeth Equality Commission
3. Direct Payments Support
10. Carers Framework
4. Do you need Advocacy?
10. Fundraise for DASL
5. Into Sport
11. Independent Living and Carers’ Partnership services
6. Hate Crime Feature @ComDevDASL
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12. How to contact us
www.disabilitylambeth.org.uk
DASL News New Senior Advice Worker - Emma Davila I joined DASL in June 2017. I previously worked for the Every Pound Counts (EPC) Project at Lambeth Council, giving Lambeth residents specialist welfare benefits advice. Before that I worked at Independent Age, an older people’s charity, and at Disability Advice Service Lambeth, between 2011 - 2013 as a benefits adviser with the Lambeth Resolve team, so I may look familiar to you! My current role is to provide advice and support to our members on a wide range of advice issues ranging from benefits to debt and housing. I work from Monday to Thursday. I look forward to meeting our clients and helping to make a difference in whichever way I can. Contact Emma via our Enquiry Line on 020 7738 5656, which is open Monday and Tuesday between 10am to 1pm. We will also pass on messages for Emma you leave on this number. Alternatively, you can email enquiry.line@disabilitylambeth.org.uk which is monitored Monday to Friday.
Direct Payments Support Service Update – Richard Pargeter Having joined the team in April this year, I’ve enjoyed learning about the various ways that DASL can support people using direct payments. Prior to coming to DASL, I worked in advocacy for eleven years with many of the same client groups that DASL supports, including Disabled People, people who use mental health services, and people living with dementia. Before that I spent six years working with children and adults on the autism spectrum. Many aspects of my current role overlap with what I’ve done before, but it’s been great learning about how direct payments can enable people to have more control over the support they receive. I’ve now taken part in several of our monthly Direct Payments Peer Support Group meetings, which have been very well attended recently, particularly for a presentation from the payroll company used by many of our clients. We’ve had several other guest speakers and there have been some positive examples of attendees sharing their experiences and supporting each other to resolve difficulties they’ve encountered. One of the key roles of our service is to support clients who are using direct payments to employ Personal Assistants to recruit suitable staff. We’ve recently started attending jobs fairs at the various Job Centres in Lambeth and this is proving to be a good way of identifying people interested in working as Personal Assistants or paid carers for our clients. We’ve attended job fairs in Brixton and Kennington, with one in Streatham coming up, and have now got contact details for a number of people with relevant experience who we can approach about new jobs as they become available. All the places have now been taken for our popular 10 week Being A Good Employer Training, which starts on 21st September. There has been a positive response to this from both people who use direct payments for their own care and support and people who manage direct payments for relatives or children. The training is also open to people who use their own funds to employ people for care and support.. It is possible that we may be able to offer the course again towards the end of the year if there is sufficient interest so please contact us to find out more if you might want to do this training. @ComDevDASL
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Do you need an advocate?
Tom McDonough, DASL Advocate
DASL’s small Professional Advocacy team has put in an excellent performance over the last year, keeping pace with growing demand for Care Act advocacy and ensuring that some of the borough’s most vulnerable and isolated residents have had their voices heard. We received 369 requests for support in the year 2016 / 2017, with 253 of these being taken forwards as L to R: Claire Camplin, Tom McDonough, Matthew Jury advocacy referrals and 93 resulting in people being signposted to other very valuable to us. In one case, in June , a services. The remaining 23 requests were family member named Fred* fed back to two advocacy referrals that were withdrawn, for a DASL advocates after they’d supported two of variety of reasons. his relatives during a safeguarding enquiry relating to the alleged financial abuse of the relatives by another family member.
In comparison to 2015 / 2016, the number of overall requests for support has climbed by 17% whilst the number of referrals for Care Act advocacy has increased by 56% from 152 to 236. The team’s success in responding to the sharp spike in Care Act referrals is attributable in part to the appointment in June 2016 of a new full time advocate, Matthew Jury, which saw the team increase from 2.5 to 3 staff members.
Fred said: “I wish you to take a bow for the professionalism, dedication and hard work you maintained over eight months. On occasions, you faced challenges with family members but you never faltered in securing the best ‘Safeguarding’ outcome for all concerned.” In another instance, the Metropolitan Police thanked a DASL advocate by saying the following: “Thank you for everything you have done for XX, you have been the ideal person to be in contact with and an excellent go between for the client and us. You have bridged the gap brilliantly and we thank you for all your hard work.”
Matthew says: “It’s been a real positive challenge and a joy to be a part of the DASL advocacy team at this busy time. It’s a legal requirement now to provide advocacy to people who have substantial difficulty being involved in Care Act processes and so these cases are taking up most of our time. I’ve learned a lot since joining DASL and I’m really proud of the difference our team makes to people in Lambeth.”
We are tremendously proud of the work we have done over the last year and feel we are moving from strength to strength as our reputation in the borough grows with service users, Council staff and other professionals such as the police and health workers.
Impact Ultimately, DASL’s advocates are dedicated to making a real difference to the lives of the people who we support and the team works hard to record all the outcomes achieved in a systematic way. Due the nature of their needs, many advocacy clients are not able to verbalise their feedback on the team’s support but some clients, family members and professionals do provide the team with comments on our work and these are @ComDevDASL
If you wish to know more about DASL’s Professional Advocacy service please visit www.disabilitylambeth.org.uk/dasl/advocacy or contact us on 020 7501 8966 * Name changed to preserve confidentiality 4
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Into Sport Lambeth
Abs Tripp, Into Sport Coordinator
As well as our original Sport England funded programme we are now working until 2019 with Lambeth Council and other partners including Wheels for Wellbeing on the new Lambeth Get Out, Get Active (GOGA) project. So, lot’s happening for you to get involved with including walks, SPA club and peer mentoring. Plus if you want a one to one about how you can be more physically active, give me a call on 07512 566875 so we can meet up and have a chat. My contact details are on the back page.
New and coming soon: SWIMMING Do you want to learn to swim? Can you swim but want to have lessons to improve? Is it ages since you last swam, so you want encouragement to get back in the pool? One to one and group lessons available, get in touch.
WALKS Mondays, meet in We Are 336 reception 12:25pm back by 12:55pm Explore the nearby green spaces, Slade Gardens, Max Roach Park and Wyck Gardens, home of Ebony Riding School. Wednesdays, meet in We Are 336 reception 4:55pm back by 6:15pm Explore the beautiful Myatt’s Fields Park.
SLADE GARDENS SPA CLUB We are a mixed group of disabled and non-disabled people aged between 15 and 90yrs, who meet weekly to chat and try SPA (sport and physical activity) together. We warm up then do some walking, yoga and mindfulness, outdoor exercises using the gym bars, inclusive cycling, Kwik cricket, Boccia and beach volleyball. We would love to see new people, including parents and carers, whether as participants or volunteers. Slade Gardens SPA Club, Robsart Street, Brixton, SW9 0DH Mondays 4pm to 5:30pm Next Dates: 25th September and 2nd, 9th, 16th and 23rd October. @ComDevDASL
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Why is reporting Hate Crime so important? Cheryl Lewis, Disability Hate Crime Advocate
What We Know Hate Crime is wrong
Can a disabled person suffer other forms of hate crime?
Disabled people have a right to feel safe
Disabled people can be victims of other types of hate crime.
No one should be attacked or abused because of who they are
A person may also target someone that is disabled due to, what they believe to be, that person’s sexual orientation, race, religion or because they are transgender.
If someone attacks a disabled person they are committing a crime
What Is Disability Hate Crime
This too is wrong and should not be accepted.
Disability Hate Crime involves any kind of crime that is done by someone to a disabled person because they do not like disabled people. Someone can be a victim of Disability Hate Crime even if someone attacks them because they think a person is disabled, when they are not.
What can you do about hate crime If you or someone you know is a victim of hate crime you can report it directly to the police using the number 101, or if it is an emergency call 999. You can also get help to report it. You can contact the Lambeth Disability Hate Crime Reporting Centre based at Disability Advice Service Lambeth here at We are 336.
Disability hate crime includes things like bullying, harassment or intimidation. It includes physically attacking someone by hitting, punching, kicking or spitting at them, as well as name-calling or threatening to hurt them.
You can speak to me, Cheryl Lewis, the Hate Crime Advocacy and Outreach Worker. I can offer you a safe place to talk about what has happened.
It also includes making fun of someone because of their impairment by mocking, teasing or mimicking them; making them feel humiliated and causing them distress; it also includes sexual abuse, where someone is touched in a sexual way that they do not want and that upsets them.
I can also provide free confidential individual support, advice and information about what can be done. I can assist you to report the incident to the police if you wish and be by your side throughout the whole process to help you get the best outcome possible.
Disability hate crime includes all other of forms crime such as stealing or having things that belong to them deliberately damaged. Whether these things are done in person or online through social media or texts, it is wrong. These crimes can be committed by someone you know or by strangers,, It could be a neighbour, a family member or someone that pretends to be your friend (often called ‘mate crime’). @ComDevDASL
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Lambeth Disability Hate Crime Partnership invites you to this event to mark National Hate Crime Awareness Week
Wednesday 18 October 2017 10am - 1.30pm followed by lunch at 336 Brixton Road SW9 7AA Aims of the day
CHALLENGE IT - REPORT IT - STOP IT
Many disabled people experience abuse, harassment or other acts of hostility due to who they are, whether because of their disability, race, sexual orientation, or other characteristic. This is wrong. Don’t suffer in Silence. There are ways to challenge it, report it and stop it.
Recognise hate incidents and crimes Be informed about your rights Increase your confidence to report Learn about how the DASL Hate Crime Advocacy Project can support you Learn about the Crown Prosecution Service’s latest review of Hate Crime Meet people from organisations that can help you
BOOKING ESSENTIAL on 020 7501 8976 @ComDevDASL
or hatecrime@disabilitylambeth.org.uk 7
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Peaceful Nature Project in Kennington Park Louise Holden, Community Development Worker
I was awarded a small grant by the Maudsley Charity Smile Bid Fund of ÂŁ750 to work with local people in Kennington Park to build an accessible sensory flower bed and plant lavender. This involved working closely with local resident and community activist,
Area of park before
Barnaby from Bee Urban building the flowerbed Meeting with Marietta (R), Chair of Friends of Kennington Park & Shereen
Local resident with her PAs
Meeting with local stakeholders
Shereen Lincoln, who has a long-term vision to create more opportunities to engage with the diverse communities who live around the Lambeth park, that borders Southwark. This project was a great opportunity to build good working Students from Orchard Hill College relationships with lots of stakeholders, including Lambeth & Southwark Housing Association, Victoria Sherwin (Community Development Worker for Myatt’s Field Park), The Leslie from Bee Urban & Shereen Lavender in full bloom Friends of Kennington planting Lavender Park, Orchard Hill College and Bee Urban, as well as at Orchard Hill College, local people using the park. and watered the We all began working on the project in February plants. this year with a variety of meetings to plan and design the accessible flowerbed. Early September was In May, with the help of Bee Urban, we built it and planted the lavender. Got an interesting idea that I can help with? Give me a call or email. My details are on the back page.
@ComDevDASL
when we harvested some lavender and are now drying it ready for when Shereen runs some community Harvested Lavender workshops to make lavender bags, maybe even some lavender soap.
Over the summer, we had several visits from students from
(Lots more photos are on DASL Facebook page) 8
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Lambeth’s Equality Commission - Can it make a difference for Disabled People? Lambeth Council’s Equality Commission has now produced its report which was launched at an event at Clapham Library on 18th July.
Disabled people and It was amazing to see so many of you and hear what you had to say.
The report reflects the Commission’s focus on inequalities experienced by Disabled people and by Black Caribbean, Somali and Portuguese communities, around four themes in particular:
It seems that our work made a big Louise Holden difference, especially around the issue of Disability Hate Crime. DASL ‘s Cheryl Lewis was invited to give a presentation to the Commission on this subject, which resulted in a visit from Councillor Mohammed Seedat, Cabinet M e m b e r f o r Community Safety, to DASL to find out more about what we offer to Disabled people in Lambeth.
• Education and learning • Income and employment • Crime and justice • Participation, decisionmaking and leadership The report and the supporting e vi d e n c e collected throughout the Commission’s work are at: f u tu re . la mb et h. go v. u k/ equality_commission
So what happens now? Well, it would seem that this work aligns well with the ongoing aims of the Lambeth Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) to reduce inequalities, and the wider work of the Council, which is looking at how Social Care, Health and Housing can be more joined up to provide better services and reduce health and
There are 80 recommendations across the four themes. Many are addressed to the Council but others are to other bodies – the Lambeth S ch o o ls and Safer Lambeth Partnerships, the Mayor of London, the Metropolitan Police and the Government. We have identified 26 recommendations specifically relating to disability across the four themes. Many of these are in service areas where DASL is already active but others need new initiatives and partnerships and there is a welcome recognition by the Commission of the important role which Disabled People’s Organisations and other voluntary groups can play in making these a reality.
social inequalities. DASL will be working closely, in particular, with Isabelle Clement, one of the Commissioners, who has been involved in the Disability Rights Movement for many years. We want to keep engagement with Disabled people in Lambeth going to provide effective input into how these recommendations are implemented in the coming years. There is also a new Lambeth Council Cabinet post for Equalities and Culture, held by Councillor Sonia Winifred, which will include oversight of the delivery of the recommendations of the Equality Commission and of the Council’s Equalities Impact Assessments (EIA) processes.
If you would like to see the 26 recommendations in more detail, visit our website at goo.gl/7tBekb Thank you to all the DASL members who came to the Commission’s events across the borough. Through my project we helped the Commission organise several engagement events targeted at @ComDevDASL
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Other news Lambeth Carers’ Framework Priorities Lambeth Council acknowledges that, like most local authorities, it has some way to go to realise the ambition of the National Carers Strategy. In the introduction to its new Framework document, there is recognition that this is, “in part due to the lack of focus on families and carers compared to the focus on the cared for person. Also in part due to the lack of recognition or appreciation of people’s networks and families and the tremendous resources, skills and assets contained within them.” To address this, the framework focuses on five outcomes.
1.
A whole family approach
2.
A life alongside Caring
3.
No financial hardship
4.
Better health & wellbeing
5.
Young Carers
To read, “Working together with Families and Carers - A Framework for Action 2017” in full, visit https://goo.gl/UWa8MT. Carers Hub Lambeth, DASL and our other ILCP partners are working with other organisations, the Council and Health on the implementation of this framework.
Did you know that whenever you buy anything online - from your weekly shop to your annual holiday you could be collecting free donations for Disability Advice Service Lambeth? There are over 3,000 shops and sites on board ready to make a donation, including Amazon, John Lewis, Aviva, thetrainline and Sainsbury's – and it doesn't cost you a penny extra to support us! In fact, it’s as easy as 1, 2, 3 ... 1. Head to - https://www.easyfundraising.org.uk/causes/dasl1/ - and join for free. 2. Every time you shop online, go to easyfundraising first to find the site you want and start shopping. 3. After you’ve checked out, that retailer will make a donation to your good cause for no extra cost whatsoever! There are no catches or hidden charges and DASL will be really grateful for your donations. @ComDevDASL
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DASL is proud to be part of the ILCP The Independent Living & Carers’ Partnership, in which DASL is a key partner, provides a range of free services to support disabled and older people and carers, including young carers, in Lambeth. It is funded by Lambeth Council and includes information, advice, advocacy, support with Direct Payments and community development.
Enquiry Line and Advice Surgeries Carers’ Advice Volunteer Befriending Community Development with Older People
Carers’ Advice, Support & Development Support for Mental Health Carers
Direct Payments Support
Learning Disability Carers’ Advice, Support and Development
Professional Advocacy
Older Carers’ Peer Support Young Carer’s Project
Community Development with Disabled People
Help for Carers
Community Development with Adults with Learning Disabilities
How to contact the ILCP Advice and support for Deaf People 0791 263 0786 advice@royaldeaf.org.uk
General Enquiries about ILCP Services and Information and Advice Tel: 020 7346 6800 Email: info@ageuklambeth.org.uk Professional Advocacy Tel: 020 7501 8966 Email: advocacy@disabilitylambeth.org.uk Direct Payments Support Service Tel: 020 7501 8960 Email direct.payments@disabilitylambeth.org.uk Carers’ Hub Lambeth Tel: 020 7346 6800 Email: connect@carershub.org.uk Website: www.carershub.org.uk
@ComDevDASL
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Contact Us Write to us at: “We are 336” 336 Brixton Road London SW9 7AA
much more than an advice service...
General Enquiries call 020 7738 5656 or email enquiry.line@disabilitylambeth.org.uk Direct Payments Support: 020 7501 8960 or email direct.payments@disabilitylambeth.org.uk Professional Advocacy: 020 7501 8966 or email advocacy@disabilitylambeth.org.uk Specialist Advice Service: 020 7738 5656 (leave a message) or email enquiry.line@disabilitylambeth.org.uk Into Sport Project: 07512 566 875 or 020 7738 56556 or email abs.tripp@disabilitylambeth.org.uk Community Development, Membership, Volunteering, Newsletter and Social Media enquiries: Louise Holden on 020 7501 8976 or email lholden@disabilitylambeth.org.uk London Stroke Choir: 07773 810264 or email manuela.gouveia@disabilitylambeth.org.uk Disability Hate Crime Advocacy: 020 7642 2054 or email hatecrime@disabilitylambeth.org.uk Contact with DASL via our social media facebook.com/DisabilityAdviceServiceLambeth twitter.com/ComDevDASL DASL’s main funders are Lambeth Council, Trust for London, Sport England, Spirit of 2012 and Skills for Care Charity No. 1087399 A company limited by guarantee registered in England & Wales No. 04214688 DASL is proud to be part of the Independent Living & Carers’ Partnership
@ComDevDASL
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