Valuing People Now publishes range of new resources and guidance

The Valuing People Now team has developed resources to promote best practice and support local and regional delivery so that more people with learning disabilities get homes and jobs and lead fulfilled lives.

While the Valuing People Now delivery team is being disbanded from the end of March 2011, the Government has stated that it is committed to improving outcomes for people with learning disabilities and delivering the vision of inclusion and equality set out in Valuing People Now, where employment, health and housing remain the top priorities.

The team has published new practical tools to help local partners support more people with learning disabilities into employment. The materials include:
* The business case for Local Authorities to support more people with learning disabilities into work and invest in supported employment, which evidence suggests can save money for social care.
* A 'How To' Guide with learning and practical information from the Valuing People Now employment demonstration sites (including Getting A Life, Jobs First and Project Search).
* A guide for Local Authority Commissioners.
* The Government's new best practice guidelines for supported employment and job coaching.

Later this month, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills will publish advice which will set out how the new freedoms and flexibilities in Further Education budgets can be used by providers to fund a range or non-mainstream provision including tutors for supported internship and employment models such as Project Search. This will be published on the resource hub as soon as it is available.

http://www.valuingpeoplenow.dh.gov.uk/content/employment-resources-hub

In May 2011, the employment resource hub is transferring to the British Association of Supported Employment (BASE). From then, the resources can be viewed on the BASE website. Further resources will be made available on the BASE website as they are produced. This is part of the Government's plan to support a shift from central Government to local leadership, where change to achieve the employment aims of Valuing People Now is led and driven locally.

There are also a range of housing resources, information and guides on the Valuing People Now website and the Housing Options website (www.housingoptions.org.uk). From the 1st April 2011, Housing Options will take on responsibility for hosting , updating and maintaining the resources, information and guides. Housing Options is a charity providing a housing advisory service for people with learning disabilities, their families and their supporters. They offer free advice to people with learning disabilities, their families and advocates on the Housing Options Helpline 0845 456 1497.