Glen Joseph, Alex Perry, Lynn Watson and Lynn Vickery
Wheelchair users face particular design and accessibility barriers, both in and around the home and in the wider environment. The majority of homes in England (84%) do not allow…
Abstract
Wheelchair users face particular design and accessibility barriers, both in and around the home and in the wider environment. The majority of homes in England (84%) do not allow someone using a wheelchair to get to and through the front door without difficulty, and only 0.5% of homes are reported to be ‘accessible and adaptable’. Habinteg Housing Association and London South Bank University have undertaken secondary research that presents national and regional estimates of housing need among wheelchair users in England and shows how these figures can be used to produce similar estimates at local authority level. There are three solutions to under‐provision, which should be strategically interlinked: development of new wheelchair standard homes (of all sizes) for both owner‐occupiers and tenants, support for home adaptations across tenures, and more efficient allocation, within social housing, of existing accessible and adaptable homes. This article refers to some of the key issues, results, conclusions and recommendations of the main research report.
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Providers and service users associated with supported housing are increasingly using tools to measure outcomes against targets with indicators that equate change with progress…
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Providers and service users associated with supported housing are increasingly using tools to measure outcomes against targets with indicators that equate change with progress. This article reports and reflects on a small research project undertaken by London South Bank University for Carr Gomm, using the World Health Organisation's Quality of Life Application Model to assess outcomes of support in relation to person‐centred planning, the chosen principled support approach adopted by Carr Gomm. The evaluation is based on a small number of case studies which serve to prompt providers and commissioners of supported housing to ask what constitutes quality of life from the client's perspective, and how in turn this challenges the priorities inherent in the supported housing service.
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Lynn Vickery and Veronica Mole
The shared housing model has been used widely for many years in association with supported housing. It is the subject of debate among providers and commissioners, who may regard…
Abstract
The shared housing model has been used widely for many years in association with supported housing. It is the subject of debate among providers and commissioners, who may regard it as old‐fashioned and not conducive to independent living, but for some clients and organisations it continues to offer a positive option in helping alleviate loneliness and isolation. Current growth in the work of social landlords and their agents includes a wider range of client groups with a variety of aspirations and support needs. Shared housing may offer new opportunities to these groups. With the new emphasis on neighbourhoods and inclusion, does the shared housing model possess attributes that commend it to communities in new ways, or is it a model of the past? The article offers suggestions to enable shared housing to be evaluated as part of housing associations' business plans while keeping a focus on residents' views, as reflected in 25 case study locations.
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This article is based on an interview conducted with Jane Taylor and Debbie Brenner, former joint chief executives of Owl (now Dimensions (Owl)), a provider of support services to…
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This article is based on an interview conducted with Jane Taylor and Debbie Brenner, former joint chief executives of Owl (now Dimensions (Owl)), a provider of support services to people with learning disabilities.