It is time for the draft code of practice for the running of sheltered workshops to be implemented - five years after it was devised, argues Angela Kerins
The recent media interest in sheltered workshop services is welcome, and comes after many years of campaigning by Rehab and others for the draft code of practice for sheltered workshops to be implemented.
Rehab has sought for more than 15 years to have this issue addressed through inclusion in social partnership agreements, the development of a code of practice to regulate the area, and by ensuring that people with disabilities know about it and actively lobby independently for its implementation. This issue has been raised by Rehab at forums from the HSE and Department of Health through successive submissions to Government and in submissions to the United Nations.
It is to be hoped that the attention now focused on the issue will contribute to the efforts made to date, ignite political will and bring about a permanent solution which will finally address the issue of sheltered workshops.
The draft code of practice for sheltered occupational services was developed by the relevant state agencies, the National Disability Authority, the Equality Authority, and social partners including the trade unions, employers' organisations and organisations of and for people with disabilities, who have played a significant role in this and whose work still remains to be implemented five years later.
The Government, particularly the Department of Health, must now implement this code of practice, create the regulations and statutory allowances and direct resources to ensure that people with disabilities receive adequate supports. The code establishes standard procedures for assessment, rights and entitlements, advocacy, allowances, complaints and appeals and our campaign centres on the need to bring this urgently into force.
Rehab Group has a long and proud track record of nearly 60 years in providing person-centred services to people with a wide range of disabilities, in their homes, in education, training, social care and employment. Rehab provides a range of employment opportunities, from full-time paid employment to part-time supported work in the community.
In Rehab centres, which offer sheltered work programmes, the focus is on personal development and the acquiring of necessary personal skills, eg, literacy, numeracy, independent living (shopping, finances, personal care, cooking), computer skills, etc, in addition to work activity. There individuals learn skills which allow them to integrate fully in their own communities, allowing hundreds of people to achieve personal successes, in many cases beyond what they or their families had hoped, including moving on, gaining and retaining part-time jobs in their community, living independently or in supported accommodation, going on holiday, joining clubs, or even just getting on the bus on their own.
In addition to these activities, many people express a desire in their individual action plan to have a part-time job, but may be nervous and require support and help in learning to function in a work environment. To support the needs and wishes of individuals and their families, and even in the absence of a statutory code of practice, Rehab has maintained the option for clients to have work activity available in the centre. Clients avail of the centre according to their wishes and needs, attending between two and five days a week, and in some cases getting involved in the work activity, in some cases not, as with all other programmes.
This work activity is maintained solely at the request of clients, their families and advocates and with the support of local community businesses. All who attend Rehab's services receive the state disability allowance, for which the standard rate is €185.80 per week, together with other state benefits. On specific instructions from the Department of Health attendance allowances are not paid from public funds and all income related to the work activity goes directly to clients. In addition, allowances are further subsidised by Rehab at a cost of €250,000 per annum. This situation cannot continue, and the introduction of statutory allowances as part of the code of practice is an urgent requirement.
In this campaign, the role that people with disabilities themselves and their families have played, both in developing the code and in lobbying for its implementation, has been tremendous. Many people with disabilities and their families would be insulted by the idea portrayed in an article by Mary Raftery on Thursday that the code of practice has been secret or hidden from them. This is inaccurate.
Rehab's clients elect an independent advocacy committee, who have actively campaigned alongside Rehab, contacting the HSE and local and national politicians, in clinics, at local meetings, at formal meetings in the Dáil and at other opportunities, including doorstepping Ministers at their party conferences. Prior to the general election, Rehab wrote to every political party seeking a commitment to implement the code of practice on sheltered workshops. The responses were distributed to our clients, their families and supporters of Rehab Group, many of whom raised the issue with local candidates on their own doorsteps and at the 15 constituency meetings Rehab arranged. People with disabilities should be congratulated for their active efforts in this area.
In Ms Raftery's article she referred to the shop in Dáil Éireann, but unfortunately failed to mention that this shop is a model of good practice of employment of people with disabilities, where staff have full employment rights, compliant with legislation.
Many employment and service opportunities now exist for people with disabilities and the National Disability Strategy will bring about further improvements. However, the issues relating to sheltered workshops need to be addressed as a matter of urgency. It requires only political will and action for the necessary changes to be made. The Minister for Health must now heed the repeated call of people with disabilities, service providers, State agencies, social partners, the media and the public to address this issue. Rehab calls on the Minister to use her powers to sort this issue out, once and for all, to ensure that people with disabilities in Ireland receive the services and employment opportunities they need and deserve.
Angela Kerins is chief executive of Rehab Group