About the conference

The 2017 Annual Conference was an opportunity to consider and discuss various elements of policy and practice involved in bringing about the implementation of the agreed programme of change in disability services to give individuals more choice and control in their daily lives. A significant part of the transformation was to consider how to maximise and develop the natural supports already available to people within the community, as well as supports for self-directed living, that could be put in place at a system level, such as individualised funding.

The conference was an opportunity to consider and discuss various elements of policy and practice involved in bringing about this transformation, and consider them in conjunction with each other.

There were speakers from Ireland and overseas covering personalised budgets, circles of support and local area coordination.

Plenary Session

Opening Speech: Minister Finian McGrath, T.D., Minister of State for Disability

Keynote speakers

  • Local Area Coordination and supporting independent living in the community: Ralph Broad, Director, Inclusive Neighbourhoods Ltd. United Kingdom
  • Real choice and control for people with disabilities: How families get involved: Caroline Tomlinson, Associate, In-Control UK
  • Indicators of a Person-Centred life: Mary Lou Bourne, Director of NCI and Quality Assurance, National Association of State Directors of Developmental Disabilities Services, USA
  • Individualised funding and self-directed living – the example of Micro Boards: Linda Perry, Executive Director, Vela, British Columbia, Canada

Workshop 1: Circles of Support

Paula McNulty (HAIL)/Aoife Farrelly (HSE) / Richard Wynne (WRC)

Catherine Kelly (WALK)

Pat Flanagan (CARA)

Workshop 2: Local Area Co-ordination

Deirdre Lynch (Northside Partnership)

Elisa O’Donovan (Headway Ireland/Mid-West LAC)

Susan Carton (DESSA)

Workshop 3: Personalised budgets

Yvonne Finn-Orde (Independent Healthcare Consultant)

Aoife O’Toole (Dara Residential Services)

Fionn Angus (Holder of a personal budget)

Gordon Ryan (Holder of a personal budget)