Ever conscious of the need of the person with a disability to keep on living within the natural family, SAPPORT embarked on the provision of Community Services. This strategy was intended to support the such persons in the family environment and in the community to which s/he is used to, while at the same time giving all available support and consultancy to the family as a whole in a bid to ensure that the person having a disability continues living within his/her natural family for as long as possible. Such a strategy ensures that the less recommended residential placement would only be sought when all else fails.

SAPPORT provides two types of Community support namely Personal Assistance and Intervention. Personal Assistance provides direct support to help these persons with activities of daily living at their home, workplace or in the community, where and when needed. Intervention, on the other hand, provides skills teaching and training to help such persons develop skills related to activities of daily living and communication both at home and in the community.

One of the problems addressed at an early stage was the method by which people could be referred for the Agency's Services and how clients would be prioritised to receive services. For this purpose, a Service Allocation Committee (SAC) was set up in February 2003. The aim of the SAPPORT's SAC is to ensure a non-discriminatory and non-preferential procedure in the allocation of services through a semi-independent committee.

Aims:

Community Services aim to empower persons with a disability and their families/carers through personal assistance and intervention to better their quality of life and thus promote their right to live in the family ambience and to be participant citizens in their community.

Community Services are provided both in Malta and Gozo and are planned to address specific areas of needs experienced by the individual having a disability and his/her family/carers. The intervention strategies or personal assistance needs are reviewed quarterly to determine whether the identified outcomes are being achieved.

SAPPORT provides two types of Community support namely Personal Assistance and Intervention.

Description:

Personal Assistance provides direct personalised support to help these persons with activities of daily living at their home, workplace or in the community, where and when needed.

Intervention provides skills teaching and training to help persons with a disability develop skills related to activities of daily living and communication both at home and in the community.

These services are provided by a team of support workers aided by SAPPORT's Resource Service and directed by the Community Supervisor.