This presentation was given at our health and social care forum. Learn more online at www.valonline.org.uk

1. Noel Singh
Leicestershire County Council
Health & Social Care VCS Forum
24th
June 2014

2. “a model of support for vulnerable
people which focuses on identifying
and supporting those who need help
before they hit crisis, and working
towards building an inclusive
resilient community around them”
What is Local Area Coordination?

3. • Local Area Coordination is an
approach to supporting people and their
families to have a good life as part of
their local community
• Initiative being led by Inclusive
Neighbourhoods and the LAC Network
• Originally developed in Western
Australia in the 1980s
• Currently running in other areas of the
Country, including Derby, Thurrock,
Monmouthshire, Cumbria

4. What does a Local Area Coordinator do?
• Supports around 60 people in their local communities, typically older people
and those with low-moderate mental health needs, experiencing a level of
vulnerability
• Normally works in outreach based community hotspots (e.g. library,
community centre, GP Surgery, VCS agency)
• Provides social interaction and support
• Spends time to understand the person’s strengths and aspirations
• Identifies a range of community assets and resources which individuals can
access
• Links individuals to sources of informal support from other individuals
• Helps individuals to access other relevant services where required
• Monitors individual’s progress against agreed aims

5. ‘Asset-Based Community Development’
• Local Area Coordination is about identifying the assets within a community
which can help to make the community more self-sufficient
• It is a model which looks at what individuals and communities can offer, rather
than focussing on what they need
• Community assets can be anything from existing sources of support (e.g. from
VCS agencies, community centres, faith groups/places of worship) to the
support which can be offered by individuals
• This could include any of the following and more:
• Befriending
• Cooking
• Domestic, gardening or DIY chores
• Driving or accompanying people to appointments, shopping trips, etc

6. Outcomes for Individuals and Communities
• Improved health and wellbeing
• Fewer hospital/emergency admissions and visits to GP
• Better quality of life; improved confidence and independence
• Strengthens individuals, families and communities
• Improved community links and social interactions
• Greater community cohesion, community capacity and resilience
• Positive use of community assets and resources
• Increased levels of people engaging in volunteering, training or employment

7. Outcomes for Individuals and Communities
Local Area Coordination therefore aims to reduce
demand for more costly services (mainly health and
social care) through strengthening individuals, families
and communities, thus preventing people from
reaching crisis and requiring costly care and support
services

8. Progress to date in Leicestershire
• Number of strategic partners involved (LCC Departments; Health (CCGs); 4 x
District Councils, Police, VAL)
• Significant element of the Health and Social Care Prevention agenda and
incorporated in Better Care Fund plan
• Agreement in principle to support a pilot in the 4 Districts:
- Blaby; Charnwood, Hinckley & Bosworth and Melton
• Exploring how LAC fits with other existing initiative and services (e.g. Supporting
Leicestershire Families, Health & Social Care Coordinators, Social Prescribing)
• Work underway to agree areas (Wards) for LAC to operate in each District
• Ongoing support from Inclusive Neighbourhoods and LAC Network

9. Next Steps
• Recruitment of LAC Project Manager (Summer 2014)
• Agreeing the wards/localities in each of the 4 districts where LAC will be piloted
• Mapping existing/known community assets in the 4 x localities
• Design tools and resources for Coordinators, including Outcomes Frameworks
• Finalise role descriptions for the locality-based Coordinators
• Recruitment of the 8 x Coordinators (Autumn – Winter 2014)
• Run the pilot project (Winter 2014 – Spring 2016)
• Evaluate the project in terms of outcomes and costs avoided

10. Any Questions?
For more information, contact:
Noel Singh
noel.singh@leics.gov.uk
(0116) 3057020