Policy Context
The policy context within which member organisations of the Naitonal Federation provide services and supports is unprecedented in terms of its depth and scope and focus on human rights for people with disabilities. Important legislation and policies include:
- United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities;
- National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People 2025-2030;
- National Housing Strategy for Disabled People 2022-2027;
- Assisted Decision Making (Capacity) Act
- New Directions;
- Time to Move On from Congregated Settings;
- Progressing Disability Services for Children and Young People;
- Comprehensive Employment Strategy for People with Intellectual Disability and
- HIQA’s National Standards in Residential Disability Services.
The importance of implementation
This policy context creates hugely exciting opportunities for people with disabilities and their families, however, it is not without its challenges. It is recognised, for example, that policy objectives for people with disabilities have often not translated into specific objectives for disability services, or into desired outcomes for those using disability services and there is a gap between policy objectives and what is provided by many disability services, both statutory and voluntary.
The response of the National Federation of Voluntary Service Providers
Mindful of these challenges, the National Federation identifies as a matter of priority, the implementation of the national policy objectives and in this regard is committed to providing leadership and practical guidance and support to our member organisations in implementing national policy on the ground, in partnership with key stakeholders including the HSE. Practical examples of this are the Bridge to Community initiative, our Oral Health Project 'Keep My Teeth' and our previous Next Steps programme through which models of best innovative practice were shared and disseminated from 2011 to 2019, and Immersion Programme which ran for one full week in April 2013 and the subsequent “Enabling Excellence” training programme for supported self-directed living, which was been developed in collaboration with Genio.
Click on the options on the left hand side of this page to see further information on innovation and change programmes.