PFI consultation with parents: 16th October 2007, part I

Questions asked … and answers given

1. What is the timeframe?

The replacement for Broom Court will be open in September 2009, and the new 14-18 unit will open in January 2010.      

2. Is the whole of Broom Court closing or just the Transitions Unit?

Broom Court will close when the new unit opens. There will be 12 beds in the new unit, with three designed as a self-help unit for young people 14-18.

3. Will parents/young people be involved in the design?

Yes. Kerry Roling has already been doing some work with young people, and it is displayed today, and this is the strt of the process of consultation.

4. What does PFI stand for?

Public Finance Initiative – it is the way the cost of building the new units is funded. The Children’s funding is for £5m and is attached to the Adult Independent Living Project, which is a £50m project. This project will provide tenancies for adults with learning disabilities, which young people reaching adulthood will be eligible for.

5. How do we access services for adults  now? As parents we need to plan forward for 16 year olds, who currently may need to go out of authority.

The Transition Team provide a service to all 14+ young people who are eligible for a 14+ Transition Review at school.The services I have described for adults will be available until new accommodation is built, so for young people reaching 18 this year, it is not ready.

6. Will you be undertaking training for current staff?

Yes. There is a constant programme of development for existing staff. They are being involved in the development and consultation for the new units, and this includes reconsidering how services are delivered.

7. What happens for those who cannot live independently? Those who have multiple needs? Need 24 hour care?

This question is about the new development in the Adult Independent Living Project, with which the new children’s units are associated. Adult services will still provide for people with high dependency needs, and will aim to give them as much independence in small units as possible. So a person with lots of need for support can be supported in their own tenancy.

8. Will respite be available  for adults who still live with their parents?

This is a developmental service idea which has been raised with adult services.

9. How will people be kept informed?

This is the first consultation meeting, and there will be further meetings as the programme progresses.

10. Will you take notice of parents’ views that there must be a trampoline?

We are looking at this, and considering a trampoline built into the floor of the large play area.

11. Will there be a swimming pool/access to a swimming pool/hydrotherapy?

We are looking at how to work with Leisure Services to ensure good access to a range of activities, including swimming in an inclusive way.

12. Will there be a sensory room?

Yes.

13. Why can’t Broom Court stay?

Broom Court needed to be updated, and made more accessible. We have been given the money to build a replacement short breaks unit. We thought about whether to replace on the same site, either by knocking Broom Court down, or building the new unit next door, but we thought either would lead to nine months when we could not offer respite, so we decided to use a different site.

14. Is it going to tender? How does the bid for contracts work?

The contract for building the units is associated with the Adult programme, and has already gone out to tender. A decision about whether the Care Services go to tender has yet to be made.

15. Is it possible to increase the size?

No. The new short break unit will have nine short break beds, and three self-help beds, just as at present, but they will be better laid out and more accessible.

16. Can there not be more units around the city?

We have been given the money to build one replacement building. This decision was made before I became involved, and it is not possible to change the decision.

17. What is happening to the land?

We have been given land from Education to build the new unit on, and the present land will return to Leeds City Council for them to use as they consider appropriate. You can look on it as a swap.