The co-production of disability-related policy in Wales
Lead Research Organisation:
CARDIFF UNIVERSITY
Department Name: Cardiff School of Law and Politics
Abstract
The purpose of this fellowship is to disseminate and build on the findings of research into independent living,
previously completed by the fellow. Independent living is a key aim of the disabled people's movement. It
expresses the idea that disabled people have the same right as those who are non-disabled to live the lives of
their choice - to have equal employment, educational and family opportunities, to be in control of their living
arrangements and to take part in community and cultural life on an equal basis with others. Independent living
was devised by disabled activists as a response to personal and shared experiences of institutionalisation,
social segregation and external control. It is now enshrined as a human right in the UN Convention on the
Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), particularly Article 19.
Research undertaken by the fellow to date has examined how disabled activists in Wales and the broader UK
context have developed independent living to counter and resist common ideas around disabled people, such
as narratives of dependency, vulnerability, 'otherness' and 'care'. The particular focus was what happens to the
idea of independent living when it is incorporated into social care and disability policy and law in the Welsh
context. It found that in policy and law, key elements of independent living were neutralised and their potential
depleted. This occurred in various different ways and for various reasons. This holds important lessons for
disabled activists in Wales and other parts of the UK who are seeking to insert independent living and other
rights contained in the CRPD into domestic policy and legislation. The findings are also important for policymakers,
such as Assembly Members and the Welsh Government, who are required to implement the CRPD.
The Welsh Government is currently considering how the CRPD can be effectively implemented in Wales, and
places a strong focus on developing policy and practice that is 'co-produced' with groups including those who
are directly affected by policy. In this context, the lessons of the research conducted to date are directly
relevant. The aim of this fellowship is to extend and disseminate the findings and conclusions of the research to
further the understanding of independent living in both the academic and non-academic audiences. The fellow
will produce papers that bring the research findings to new academic audiences and extend existing knowledge
in the fields of disability law, social care, and devolved governance. Dissemination to non-academic audiences
will enable disabled activists and policy-makers to use the content of the research to inform activities including
domestic policy development. Non-academic publications will be produced, including a short, fully accessible
summary of the research for broad dissemination, blogposts and podcasts. The findings of the research will be
shared with the cross party groups on disability in the UK Parliament and the National Assembly for Wales, the
Equality and Human Rights Commission in Wales and the UK and others. In addition, the fellow will coordinate a
one-day symposium for researchers, activists and policy makers in Wales, to share experiences and knowledge
on independent living and the co-production of disability-related policy in the Welsh context, and to explore
opportunities for joint collaborative future work in this field. The fellow will also use the fellowship to undertake
a scoping exercise to prepare for future research in this area.
previously completed by the fellow. Independent living is a key aim of the disabled people's movement. It
expresses the idea that disabled people have the same right as those who are non-disabled to live the lives of
their choice - to have equal employment, educational and family opportunities, to be in control of their living
arrangements and to take part in community and cultural life on an equal basis with others. Independent living
was devised by disabled activists as a response to personal and shared experiences of institutionalisation,
social segregation and external control. It is now enshrined as a human right in the UN Convention on the
Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), particularly Article 19.
Research undertaken by the fellow to date has examined how disabled activists in Wales and the broader UK
context have developed independent living to counter and resist common ideas around disabled people, such
as narratives of dependency, vulnerability, 'otherness' and 'care'. The particular focus was what happens to the
idea of independent living when it is incorporated into social care and disability policy and law in the Welsh
context. It found that in policy and law, key elements of independent living were neutralised and their potential
depleted. This occurred in various different ways and for various reasons. This holds important lessons for
disabled activists in Wales and other parts of the UK who are seeking to insert independent living and other
rights contained in the CRPD into domestic policy and legislation. The findings are also important for policymakers,
such as Assembly Members and the Welsh Government, who are required to implement the CRPD.
The Welsh Government is currently considering how the CRPD can be effectively implemented in Wales, and
places a strong focus on developing policy and practice that is 'co-produced' with groups including those who
are directly affected by policy. In this context, the lessons of the research conducted to date are directly
relevant. The aim of this fellowship is to extend and disseminate the findings and conclusions of the research to
further the understanding of independent living in both the academic and non-academic audiences. The fellow
will produce papers that bring the research findings to new academic audiences and extend existing knowledge
in the fields of disability law, social care, and devolved governance. Dissemination to non-academic audiences
will enable disabled activists and policy-makers to use the content of the research to inform activities including
domestic policy development. Non-academic publications will be produced, including a short, fully accessible
summary of the research for broad dissemination, blogposts and podcasts. The findings of the research will be
shared with the cross party groups on disability in the UK Parliament and the National Assembly for Wales, the
Equality and Human Rights Commission in Wales and the UK and others. In addition, the fellow will coordinate a
one-day symposium for researchers, activists and policy makers in Wales, to share experiences and knowledge
on independent living and the co-production of disability-related policy in the Welsh context, and to explore
opportunities for joint collaborative future work in this field. The fellow will also use the fellowship to undertake
a scoping exercise to prepare for future research in this area.
Organisations
People |
ORCID iD |
Alison Tarrant (Principal Investigator / Fellow) |
Publications
Tarrant A
(2021)
Adult Social Care Reform in Wales
Tarrant A
(2021)
The Enigma of Section 16
Tarrant A
(2021)
Reforming Social Care in Wales
Tarrant A
(2022)
Welcome break? Holidays and recreation as eligible needs under the Care Act 2014
in Journal of Social Welfare and Family Law
Tarrant A
(2022)
Devolution and the difficulty of divergence: The development of adult social care policy in Wales
in Critical Social Policy
Tarrant, A
(2022)
Independent living as a counter-narrative: A work of resistance and repair
in International Journal of Disability and Social Justice
Description | This award has enabled the dissemination of previously obtained research findings among both academic and lay communities, including key stakeholder groups and policy makers at governmental level. As a result, I was invited to take part in the Welsh Government Task Force on the Rights of Disabled People. The purpose of the task force is to examine the state of disabled people's human rights in Wales, particularly in the light of the Covid pandemic. This work is ongoing at the time of submission, and has involved contributions both to the Task Force overall, and to various sub-groups. I was also invited by the Welsh Government to take part in a working group on the development of legislation and guidance relating to the use of direct payments in continuing healthcare. |
Exploitation Route | In particular, contribution to the Welsh Government task force described above is enabling key stakeholders including disabled people, government ministers and other high level policy makers to benefit from the research findings. |
Sectors | Communities and Social Services/Policy Healthcare Government Democracy and Justice |
Description | The findings have been used to open up dialogue with Members of the Welsh Parliament / Senedd and government officials. Contributions to policy processes, including work with Welsh Government officials, are ongoing. |
Sector | Communities and Social Services/Policy,Healthcare,Government, Democracy and Justice |
Impact Types | Societal Policy & public services |
Description | Member of Welsh Government Ministerial Task Force on Disability Rights |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
Description | Participation in Welsh Government development group for direct payments and IUTs in continuing health care |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
Description | Support to Welsh Government officials in creating guidance on IUTs in CHC |
Geographic Reach | Local/Municipal/Regional |
Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
Description | Welsh Government Task Force on Disability Rights - participation in various sub-groups |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
Description | Written and oral evidence to Senedd Cymru Committees |
Geographic Reach | Local/Municipal/Regional |
Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
Description | Development of a Centre for Adult Social Care Research |
Amount | £163,497 (GBP) |
Organisation | Health and Care Research Wales |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 03/2023 |
End | 03/2028 |
Description | Judicial Review in Wales: Understanding the Low Numbers of Social Care Challenges |
Amount | £61,684 (GBP) |
Organisation | Economic and Social Research Council |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 09/2023 |
End | 09/2027 |
Description | Article in Western Mail |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Report on publication "Social Care Reform in Wales" by Dr Alison Tarrant, published by the Wales Governance Centre in 2021. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
Description | Interviewed by Radio Wales |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Live interview provided to BBC Wales 'DriveTime' programme - discussion of social care reform in Wales. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
Description | Presentation at Disability Wales conference |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Presentation to the annual conference of Disability Wales - a network of disabled people's organisations in Wales. Disability Wales reported increased understanding of the concept of independent living and knowledge among members. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
Description | Presentation to Disability Wales training event |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Presentation given to attendees at a training event on the human rights of disabled people run by Disability Wales - a network of disabled people's organisations in Wales. Disability Wales reported that the presentation enabled attendees to think about the use of social care services in positive terms rather than in terms of unwelcome dependency. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
Description | Provision of training |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | Training provided to policy and legal specialists at the Equality and Human Rights Commission (UK and Wales) on social care in the Welsh context, prior to the establishment by the EHRC of an investigation into this subject. Following this training provision I was asked to support the EHRC in the development of the Terms of Reference for the investigation. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
Description | Report in South Wales Evening Post |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Report on publication "Social Care Reform in Wales" by Dr Alison Tarrant, published by the Wales Governance Centre in 2021. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
Description | Training to EHRC |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
Results and Impact | Training on social care law in Wales provided to principal employees at the Equality and Human Rights Commission in Wales and the UK. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |