STOP PRESS!
August 20, 2008 15:45 AM
Disabled Children and Housing - Campaign briefing from the "Every Disabled Child Matters" campaign.
Supported by evidence from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation.
Every Disabled Child Matters (EDCM) is the campaign to get rights and justice for disabled children. Suitable housing is fundamental to children's well-being and outcomes, yet a recent Communities and Local Government report shows families with disabled children are more likely than other families to be living in bad housing.
Disabled children are a new priority for government, as set out in 'Aiming High for Disabled Children: Better Support for Families', which delivers a £430 million service transformation programme over the next three years. However, 'Aiming High' focuses on health and care services, and housing is historically a neglected issue in the policy debate on disabled children.
Disabled children and housing (135KB 
*)
August 20, 2008 11:35 AM
Don't Stop Me Now: Preparing for an ageing population (HTML format)
This report looks at the challenges and opportunities facing England as its population gets older. It aims to help local public services adapt to the needs of an older and more diverse society and identifies solutions that can be implemented quickly.New rights to give disabled travellers a better journey
Transport Minister Rosie Winterton, the Equality and Human Rights Commission and the Civil Aviation Authority were at London City Airport today to outline measures coming into force this month giving up to 15 million disabled people and those with limited mobility new rights when travelling through airports in Europe.
Disability Discrimination Act: Rail services - Consultation response summary
http://www.dft.gov.uk/consultations/archive/2006/rsdp/codeofpracticeonconsultation
July 08, 2008 14:55 PM
Community therapists network annual conference
Norfolk Park Heritage Centre, Sheffield, Wednesday, 24th September 2008
This year's conference is focused on two research projects with specific relevance to community therapy teams.
The first, "COOP" examines the impact of different models of staffing on the outcomes of community based services for older people.
The second, "Enhancing the effectiveness of interprofessional working: costs and outcomes".
For further details of the conference and for links to Conference Programme and booking details please follow the link below;
Community therapists network annual conference
June 24, 2008 10:20 AM
Developing housing for visually impaired people
The Thomas Pocklington Trust and Habinteg Housing Association have teamed up to produce a new guide called Housing for people with sight loss. It is aimed at anyone involved with providing housing for people with visual impairments, including social landlords, architects, access professionals, building technicians, designers and groups that provide support services to visually impaired people.
For further information, visit the Thomas Pocklington Trust website, where you can download the Trust’s Research Findings Paper
www.pocklington-trust.org.uk/lightinganddesign/newdesignguide.htm
Evaluation of housing programme for older people
The Housing Corporation has published a report entitled Towards an ageing society, the final evaluation report of the Housing Associations' Charitable Trust's housing programme for older people. It praises the information that has been produced by the housing programme, and how it has built on best practice. It also highlights the new products and services that have been introduced to help older people today and in the future.
Download the report from the Housing Corporation's website
www.housingcorp.gov.uk/server/show/ConWebDoc.14285/changeNav/440
June 24, 2008 09:40 AM
- Overview of UK Housing Legislation 2007-2008 (82KB
*) - Review: COTSS Housing Year 2006-07 (128KB *)
- Department for Transport: Access for All small schemes funding application pack
- Housing Corporation: Towards an ageing society
- CALL FOR PAPERS Journal of Engineering Design/Special Issue on Inclusive Design
Forthcoming Event - "Building Homes for Life - planning ahead for an ageing society"
June 10, 2008 09:45 AM
The 15th Annual Conference and AGM, "Building Homes for Life - planning ahead for an ageing society", will be held on the 6th and 7th November 2008. Aberdeen.
For further info the following pdf's are available to download:
- Conference Programme (2034KB *)
- Booking Form (34KB *)
- Map and Directions (77KB *)
Housing Corporation Sector Study 60: Supported housing and housing for older people
Follow this link to see study on how the stock of housing aimed at the particular needs of older people and owned and managed by housing associations has changed since the 1988 Housing Act.
INDEPENDENT LIVING STRATEGY
A cross government strategy about Independent Living for Disabled People. Consultation ends 20th June. The report, signed by Prime Minister Brown and 6 Cabinet Ministers, describes the present government's commitment up to 2013 towards the target of 'equality for all by 2025'. The report sets out the progress that it will make over the next 5 years for disabled people to:
- gain more choice and control over additional assistance and equipment needs they have in daily life; and
- have greater access to health, housing, transport and mobility, employment, education and training and leisure.
FINAL CHANGES TO DFG COME IN TO FORCE MAY 22ND 2008
Most major aspects being:
- Grant limit extended to £30,000
- Access to garden
- LA charging for adaptations over £5000 if property sold within 10 years
Follow link to statutory documents and formal announcements of the changes:
DFG Order 2008 (94KB *)
DFG Changes Introductory Letter (75KB *)
General DFG Consent Document 2008 (68KB *)
The Housing Renewal Grants (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2008 (104KB *)
FROM 1 DECEMBER 2008 PROPERTIES FOR SALE WILL HAVE TO BE MARKETED WITH INFORMATION, NOW BRANDED AS THE 'HOME REPORT'
This is a pack of three documents: a Single Survey, an Energy Report and a Property Questionnaire. The Single Survey contains: an assessment by a surveyor of the condition of the home, a valuation and an accessibility audit for people with particular needs.
Follow this link for more information; http://www.homereportscotland.gov.uk/home.htm
Extending Inclusion:
Access for disabled children and young people to extended schools and children's centres - A development manual
Code for Sustainable Homes: Technical guide - April 2008
The Independent Living Strategy
An HQN briefing paper prepared by Joanna Jeffery and Richard Seager (164KB*)
Funding to make homes suitable for independent living
The Government is encouraging local authorities to bid for £80 million of funding to build extra care housing. Extra care housing will make it easier for older people and people with long-term conditions to live in a home of their own.
Follow this link for details;
- Designing streets for people, not traffic
- New housing quality tool kit is launched; http://www.info4local.gov.uk/filter/?item=723602
- Evaluating housing principles step by step
This guide was commissioned and funded by the Housing Corporation's innovation and good practice programme to support housing designers and developers in producing well designed developments and achieving Building for Life awards.
- Government toilet plans: All cisterns go
Local councils will today be encouraged to do more to halt the decline of the great British public loo and to promote inclusive access to public toilets across the country, including; Improving Public Access to Better Quality Toilets: A Strategic Guide
- Consultation: Revision of train and station standards for disabled people - A code of practice
COTSS-Housing Southern Region announce study day for 2008 (05/03/2008)
Housing Choices and Aspirations of Older People: Research from the New Horizons Programme (596KB
*) (05/03/2008)Disabled Facilities Grant: The package of changes to modernise the programme (148KB
*) (05/03/2008)- Lifetime Homes, Lifetime Neighbourhoods: A national strategy for housing in an ageing society (481KB*) (05/03/2008)
Link to Study Days page
News Archives
Make A Difference (01/08)
Look forward to new beginnings and opportunities in 2008. For more information relating to the nominations and elections for BAOT Country Boards and Regional Committees call the Regional Team on 020 7450 2368. See what opportunities are available at: www.cot.org.uk/members/introduction/nominations.php
Student Placement
10 Top Tips before you start your student placement (54KB
*) (22/04/2008)
Homepage: www.cot.org.uk
