Up to £50 million will be spent to continue offering ‘day opportunities’ to those adults with a learning or physical disability as well as mental health problems.
Hampshire County Council has given permission to extend its Hampshire Disabilities Day Opportunities Model (HDDOM) for four more years with a total investment of £110m.
A diverse range of activity is described under “Day Opportunities”.
This includes providers delivering traditional daycare centres, vocational training services, community-based services, and specialist services to people with complex needs.
Day Opportunities provides care and support options for people with disabilities and older people who cannot remain at home during the day or provide carer respite.
In 2016, the council agreed to spend £70 over 12 years offering daytime activities. Currently, the service provides daytime activities to approximately 850 disabled and older adults across Hampshire.
The County Council currently spends approximately £9.7million per annum on these services.
However, due to increased use, the original £70m is insufficient to cover the curtain cost.
HCC officers said that the framework provides a “key respire function” for many family carers, specifically those older careers and careers “that need to go to work”.
Originally, the service was targeted at people between 18 to 65 who had a learning or physical disability, as well as those with mental health needs. But, in 2023, three older adult providers were also included in the model.
Currently, the county council contracts with 41 HDDOM externally contracted Day Opportunity providers.
The executive leader for adult social care and public health, Cllr Liz Fairhurst, said it is a valuable service that those who use it enjoy.
Cllr Fairhurst said: “I visited quite a few of them, and people really enjoyed their time out. I mean, I know it’s not technically a day out, but for them, it is, and they’re enjoying going, so I’m happy to approve the recommendation.”