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Councils protect learning disability care

Councils protect learning disability care
22 July 2013



Funding for learning disability care has been protected despite government spending cuts, an independent review has revealed. 
However, the rate of growth in the specialist care market for young adults with learning disabilities has “significantly slowed”. 
Although growth in councils spending on the services has slowed down, the front line budgets have been protected. 

Funding for learning disability care has been protected despite government spending cuts, an independent review has revealed. 
However, the rate of growth in the specialist care market for young adults with learning disabilities has “significantly slowed”. 
Although growth in councils spending on the services has slowed down, the front line budgets have been protected. 
Yet at least 7% of spending on older people’s care was cut, with a further 2.1% cut budgeted for 2012/13, according to the Social Care for Adults with Learning Disabilities and Mental Illness UK Markey Report 2013, from Laing & Buisson. 
Residential care accounts for 55% of the headline spend, down from 61% in 2006. 
The authors claim this reflects a continued drive towards supported living, personalisation and community-based support services. 
Report author William Laing said: “The residential sector cannot be characterised as a ‘burning platform’, since there is robust demand at the higher dependency, challenging behaviour and complex care end of the spectrum, though it can certainly be viewed as a platform which is melting round the edges as services users with lower to moderate needs leak out to supported living.”

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