VODG Asks of the New Government
VODG seeks to inform policy making, systems design and best practice, to improve the environment within which members operate in support of disabled people of all ages living the lives they choose.
Alongside our influencing activity we amplify the work of our members and stakeholders, and are actively involved in various coalitions and campaigns championing positive change.
Reflecting the experience and priorities of our members, our eight overarching policy asks call for a reframing of funding, workforce, commissioning, housing and most importantly the involvement and leadership of disabled people, families and VCSE organisations in the delivery of support.
Through our key asks we call on the new government to:
- Fully fund the delivery of services for disabled people, including the full costs of commissioned services delivered by third sector providers.
- Ensure public bodies adopt a transformative approach to impact-based commissioning that maximises partnership building with disabled people, DPOs, the third sector and local communities to enable innovation to flourish.
- Recognise the valued role played by the social care workforce in the life chances and experience of disabled people and their families. As a starting point this should include parity of pay, recognition and career progression as in the NHS.
- Commit all government departments to the co-production of policy with disabled people, Disabled People’s Organisations (DPOs) and third sector providers so that decisions about disabled people are made with disabled people.
- Prioritise and properly invest in building the right support in the community for autistic people and people with a learning disability who remain in long-stay hospitals.
- Ensure disabled children, young people and their families are prioritised and receive the support they need in a joined-up way across the education, health and social care systems.
- Alleviate the disproportionate impact of the rising cost of living on people with disabilities by providing an 'essentials guarantee' in universal credit.
- Increase the availability, affordability and accessibility of housing in places people want to live.
Get Involved
Members are invited to share our asks on social media using the following graphics for X and LinkedIn.
The detail under each of the VODG Policy Positions, and what they mean in practice, is a live and iterative process which we invite members to contribute to. If you have examples, asks or campaigns that fall under one of the eight priorities above please do let us know.
We also have a template letter members can use to reach out to Ministers, sharing our collective asks as well as local priorities.