1. What alternative living arrangements are available in your country for people with disabilities apart from large residential settings?

People can live in "supported living" situations - essentially a home of their own, possibly on their own or with one or two others and they are supported by staff and a circle of friends and the service is monitored by the contracts officer) people can live in Adult Placement Services - what this means is that they live en family in a family setting and the setting is supported by a local scheme in which all the local providers support each other.

2. What is the average size of a small scaled setting in the community?

This varies from client group to client group but in England for people with learning disabilities the average size of home has gone from around 6 to around 8. That is an average of all homes. Most small scale settings /services are for 1, 2 or 3 persons.

3. How is support organised for people living in these settings? (centralised / de-centralised)

Some registered care homes services may be run by a large national provider or by a small local provider. Adult placement services are all individual providers ,very small scale, just getting together into a local scheme

4. Does the nature of the setting varies according to the level of disability of the clients?

Yes, but this is ceasing to be such a determining factor now. It used to be the case that anyone with significant care needs had to live in a care home (often a large one) but now such users can be found in small scale settings like anyone else

5. Other Remarks

We do have a problem at present because of the blurring of the boundary line between care homes and other settings. There will shortly be a court case which will need to clear this up. If it goes the wrong way, we will be in some considerable difficulties in the sector.

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