Independent Living Strategy

30/04/2009

The Government has announced plans to involve disabled people in implementing and monitoring a five year Independent Living Strategy.

First launched in Spring 08, the Strategy aims to increase choice and control, and promote greater access to housing, transport, health, employment and leisure opportunities for all disabled people.

The Office for Disability Issues (ODI) held several public consultation exercises for views on how best to involve disabled people in measuring progress on the strategy. 

The ODI also involved an Expert Panel, which worked on the Independent Living Strategy, in developing the Government's response to the consultation, as was Equality 2025, the UK Advisory Network for Disability Equality.

Scrutiny
Baroness Jane Campbell, Chair of the Expert Panel, said: "I am delighted that disabled people and their allies will play an integral role in the scrutiny of the five year, cross-government Independent Living Strategy.

"We've come a long way from the days of being consulted on our views and then left to wonder whether they would be taken on board. Now we will be part of the action, working in partnership with the government, to make sure the strategy delivers independent living for disabled people."

Reality
Following the consultation, and the further involvement of disabled people, the Government has decided to implement the following steps to make sure disabled people are actively involved in making the strategy a reality and checking that good progress is being made:

• Establish an Independent Living Scrutiny Group (ILSG) to review progress on implementing the ILS
• Work with Equality 2025 to determine how best to use and develop existing networks to form a 'network of networks', creating a two-way channel of communication between the government and disabled people

Jonathan Shaw, Minister for Disabled People, said: "I am pleased that so many disabled people and organisations have been involved in putting together a robust approach that will help ensure the strategy does what it sets out to do.

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