Partnership Board

'Valuing People' is the government's plan for making the lives of people with learning disabilities and their families better. In 2001 'Valuing People' said that local authorities had to set up Partnership Boards for people with learning disabilities.

The Blackburn with Darwen Partnership Board meets every 2 months at Livesey Children's and All Age Centre, to talk about opportunities and support for people with learning disabilities. Its job is to make sure that things get better for people with learning disabilities in Blackburn with Darwen, to make carers lives better and to make services better too.

'Valuing People' said: 'Membership of the Board should include social services, health, education, housing, community development, leisure, independent providers and employment services.' Our board has all these people, as well as parents, carers and is chaired by the Executive Member for Adult Social Care.

'Valuing People' also said: 'representatives of people with learning disabilities and carers must be enabled to take part as full members'.

The Partnership Board has 4 people who represent people with learning disabilities living and using services in Blackburn with Darwen. The representatives influence what the board will talk about. They also help the board to make decisions.

People can have their say in making things better for people with learning disabilities even if they aren't a member of the board by attending the 'We speak, you listen' network meetings. The 'We speak, you listen' network meets on a regular basis in Blackburn with Darwen.

The 'We speak, you listen' group is supported by an advocacy group. They have recently talked about transport, having friends, hate crime and feeling safe.

At every Partnership Board meeting we talk about carers. This is a chance for carers to have a say in how services should be made better. Carers know what it is like to care for someone with a learning disability, so it is important that we listen to what carers have to say.

'Valuing People Now' which came out in 2009 says that learning disability partnership boards have to report to new regional programme boards. These reports must be agreed by self advocacy and family carer representatives. These reports will tell people what actions the partnership board has said it will do.

At the moment the board is looking at ways it can link into other forums where decisions are made. A representative of the board recently went to the Local Strategic Partnership (LSP) Communities group. A representative also goes to the BADAG (Blackburn and Darwen Disabled Access Group) meetings. The Board has held presentations and workshops, some of which have been on housing, transport, health and well-being, transitions, personalisation, joint commissioning and person centred planning.

If you want more information about the Partnership Board, please contact us.

You can download the minutes (notes) of the Partnership Board meetings using the links below. There are easy read versions of the minutes too.

Easy read minutes (notes) of the Learning Disability Partnership Board meetings

LDPB easy read minutes - 25th May 2011

LDPB easy read minutes - 9th March 2011

LDPB easy read minutes - 10th November 2010

LDPB easy read minutes - 8th September 2010

LDPB easy read minutes - 7th July 2010

LDPB easy read minutes - 12th May 2010

LDPB easy read minutes - 4th March 2010

LDPB easy read minutes - 3rd December 2009

LDPB easy read minutes - 29th September 2009