LAST YEAR marked the twentieth anniversary of the Scottish Housing and Support Conference. The overall theme of the day was Choices, Cuts and Contradictions, which was chosen given the challenges everyone must now face. The opening session looked at what the future may hold for housing and support services given the removal of Supporting People ring-fencing, our ageing population and new budget constraints. It was agreed that the need for wider thinking around the challenges we all face would be vital.

To set the debate we heard from three speakers: Bob Doris MSP, Parliamentary Liaison Officer to Housing Minister Alex Neil; Lesley Smith, who gave a her views as a service user; and a local authority perspective from John Mills, Senior Manager in Housing Management and Homelessness with Fife Council. Debate from the floor was lively and raised many important issues.

Following on from the debate Bob Doris has sent a summary of Housing support initiatives to encourage further discussion. Comments to Bob.Doris.msp@scottish.parliament.uk

Throughout the day delegates were able to network in breakout sessions and informally, discussing the issues raised in conference sessions and talking through the implications for services. The feedback received has been very positive with delegates finding the conference enjoyable and informative. The inputs from service users proved particularly valuable and were singled out amongst the highlights of the day.

The active input of service users continues to sustain this Conference as a unique forum for Scotland. And the promotion of new ways of working helps to improve service delivery, policy and practice across the country.

In the interests of the environment, this was a paperless conference and most speaker presentations can be found below as PDFs.

SHASC Conference 2010 presentations

• Hitting the brick walls of being housed: Can people continue their journey into work and sustain their supported accommodation? What's the next step once they're rehoused? What's the cost of not working, and can coming off welfare really work? Clare Archibald, Co-ordinator, Scottish Homelessness and Employability Network with Rosaleen Brown, External Relations Manager, Jobcentreplus.

• But what about my freedom? Telecare gives support for ordinary living, but people need to get out of the house too. Their view of risk may not be the same as the organisation's. Does the duty of care over-ride, and how can people make informed choices? Doreen Watson, Renfrewshire Care 24 Service Manager and Lesley Deane, Care Assessor, Renfrewshire Council. This session could not run due to illness but the presentation has been made available.

• Self-directed support: a genuine choice or cuts in disguise? Self-directed support should be about a fundamental shift of power where people make choices about how they spend the money they are entitled to, to get the life they want.It can also be seen as a way to save money. This session explored the benefits and challenges in developing an effective, sustainable system that meets both these aspirations. Keith Etherington, Co-ordinator, In Control Scotland.

• Service users' perception of risk: Learn more about innovative research which uses a theatre group to introduce scenarios to service user audiences who can then take part and develop storylines. By analysing video footage the researchers hope to identify the issues which participants believe involve risk and protection. Dr Beth Cross, Stirling University with Altrum staff. No PDF is available.

• Housing and an ageing population — meeting needs: Our population is ageing, the financial environment is more difficult, and we need to ensure people can live safely and independently for as long as possible. Wider planning for an Ageing Population, the housing and communities workstream, has identified five main outcomes for older people's housing over the next 20 years and a range of actions to achieve them. Find out more in this session. Stephen Sandham, Head of Homelessness, Housing Support, Advice and Standards, Scottish Government.

• SROI — getting started: Social Return on Investment measures your project's social impact in relation to the funds invested. This session focused on its practical application, including Link's SROI work with its Older People's Advice Service; the resources, training and support required; hints, tips and what to avoid; and the SROI Network Assurance and Accreditation Framework. Sheila Maxwell, Community Regeneration Officer, Linkwide Ltd.

• Evaluating specialist services: Scottish Women's Aid has worked with its members to develop effective ways to evaluate specialist domestic abuse services. This session outlined their approach to outcome evaluation and provided the chance to exchange ideas about using evaluation to defend your own specialist services. Cheryl Sutherland Stewart, Information and Research Worker, Scottish Women's Aid. No PDF is available.

• A little goes a long way, and it'll have to — adaptations in an age of austerity: Find out the advantages of using housing OTs to co-ordinate major adaptations and involve them in service delivery - eg planned maintenance programmes, new build, allocations - to better meet needs and encourage inclusive design. Angela Gardiner, Senior Housing Occupational Therapist, East Lothian Council and steering group for the College of Occupational Therapists' Specialist Section, Housing.