Minister for Housing and Planning launches the National Housing Strategy for People with a Disability, 2011-2016
The Minister for Housing and Planning, Mr. Willie Penrose, T.D., recently published (6th October 2011) the new National Housing Strategy for People with a Disability, 2011 – 2016. The new Government strategy was developed by the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government, in conjunction with the Department of Health and the HSE, and with the assistance of a National Advisory Group, comprising relevant stakeholders, including organisations representing people with disabilities.
The Strategy sets out a framework for the delivery of housing for people with disabilities through mainstream housing policy. The strategy’s vision is ‘To facilitate access, for people with disabilities, to the appropriate range of housing and related support services, delivered in an integrated and sustainable manner, which promotes equality of opportunity, individual choice and independent living’.
The strategy has 9 strategic aims:
- To promote and mainstream equality of access for people with a disability to the full range of housing options available suited to individual and household need.
- To develop national protocols and frameworks for effective interagency cooperation which will facilitate person-centred delivery of housing and relevant support services.
- To support people with a disability to live independently in their own homes and communities, where appropriate.
- To address the specific housing needs of people with an intellectual and/or physical disability, moving from congregated settings in line with good practice, including through the development of frameworks to facilitate housing in the community.
- To address the specific housing needs of people with a mental health disability, including through the development of frameworks to facilitate housing in the community, for people with low and medium support needs moving from mental health facilities, in line with good practice.
- To consider good practice in the design, coordination and delivery of housing and related supports.
- To facilitate people with a disability to access appropriate advice and information in respect of their housing needs.
- To improve the collection and use of data/information regarding the nature and
- extent of the housing needs of people with a disability.
- To provide a framework to support the delivery, monitoring and review of agreed actions.
For further information and to download a copy of the document click here.