South Ayrshire Council has become the first council in Scotland to adopt the National Involvement Network’s (NIN) Charter for Involvement for people with learning disabilities.
The charter highlights good practice for health and social care staff in involving anyone with a learning disability in designing services to suit their needs. It has 12 guidelines to ensure that anyone receiving care has more control over the help they get, highlighting the importance of independent living and being involved in their communities.
South Ayrshire Council and its partners already work to ensure anyone being supported is involved in decisions that affect them and have adopted the charter so that this good work continues.
The NIN, a group of people who get support from different learning disability organisations across Scotland, put together the charter in 2009. There are 12 aspirations focusing on issues from the virtues of independent living and community involvement to giving those with learning disabilities the opportunity to choose their support workers.
The charter has now been formally agreed by the council and the integration joint board which oversees the South Ayrshire Health and Social Care Partnership.
Councillor Rita Miller, health and social care portfolio holder for South Ayrshire Council, said: “The charter is an inspirational document and supports our commitment to putting people with learning disabilities right at the heart of decisions which affect them.
“We will continue to work with those receiving care and our partners to take the charter forward and ensure anyone with a learning disability is listened to and respected.”
