On behalf of the Learning Disability Task Force, Mencap recently commissioned work into the effectiveness of Learning Disability Partnership Boards. The work was completed by Rachel Fyson and Liz Fox of the University of Lancaster.
 
The work aimed to understand how Partnership Boards need to develop. It also provided recommendations that could be used to improve them. Partnership Boards have a very important part to play in the implementation of Valuing People and Valuing People Now.
 
The Government wants to see them as stronger and more effective bodies. The Task Force was presented with this information at its July 2008 meeting. Both versions of the research are linked below.

Easy Read: The role and effectiveness of Learning Disability Partnership Boards
 
Long read: The role and effectiveness of Learning Disability Partnership Boards

The Task Force meeting in December 2007 was used to launch Valuing People Now.  It was attended by Ivan Lewis the Minister for Care Services and various other government department representatives.
 
The Task Force welcomed Valuing People Now as a good opportunity to improve the lives of people with learning disabilities.  But it felt that there must be very clear targets set in place to make sure that there is full commitment to delivering Valuing People Now.  It also wanted to see more done to support the power and effectiveness of the groups who will monitor the implementation of Valuing People Now.
 
The Valuing People Now consultation closed on 28 March 2008, the publication to follow the consultation should be released shortly.
 
The link below gives the Task Force formal response to Valuing People Now.
 
Task Force response to Valuing People Now
 
The December 2007 Task Force minutes.
 
Learning Disability Task Force Minutes
 
The Task Force press release and other links to Valuing People Now.
 
Valuing People Now press release

When the Task Force met in December 2007 it agreed that it would send a response to the Department of Work and Pensions consultation on Improving Specialist Disability Employment Services.
 
The Task Force has previously met to discuss and work on improving work options for people with Learning Disabilities.  It also has an ongoing action that its membership looks to employ people with learning disabilities within their own organisations.
 
The consultation closed on 10 March 2008.
 
When the findings of the consultation have been analysed, DWP  will publish a summary of the outcomes, and information on what happens next. 
 
The summary will be available on the DWP website.
 
Department of Work and Pensions - consultation outcome
 
The Task Force response to the DWP consultation.
 
 Task Force response to the DWP consultation
 

The Learning Disability Task Force Annual Report to the Minister for Care Services Ivan Lewis was published on 10 September.  The report is about work that the Task Force has completed over the past year - it's main message is that some things have got better for people with learning disabilities but that there is still more work to be done.  

The main topics in the report are: health, employment and Hate Crime.  The report includes information about the work that the Task Force has completed over the past year to ensure that people with learning disabilities are represented in government policy making.
 
The Learning Disability Task Force Annual Report can be accessed by clicking on this link:

Annual report 2007
 
Nicola Smith and Rob Grieg Learning Disability Task Force Co Chairs have both made statements about the report:
 
Rob Greig said "the work that this report covers was produced using the knowledge and experience of significant stakeholders in the learning disability field.  It highlights that there is still much work to be done to make sure that people with learning disabilities are treated fairly and as equal citizens."
 
Nicola Smith said "the report talks about the big issues for people with learning disabilities, Hate Crime is something that needs to be stopped.  People with learning disabilities have the right to feel safe in their community."

If you would like to know more about the governments work on learning disabilities please use the following link:  Valuing People website
 
This is a link to the Learning Disability Task Force press release about the report: 
 LD Task Force Press release
 

The Task Force worked on Hate Crime during 2007.  People with Learning Disabilities are often victims of Hate Crime, there has been much press coverage recently about this.   People with Learning Disabilities are still not getting the support that they need to report crime against them.  There are no official data collections as there are with other crime issues such as ASBOs. 
 
The Task Force has started to work with Home Office to draw up an action plan to stop Hate Crime and to make sure that victims get the support that they need when they report crimes against them.