The needs and expectations of 40 per cent of participants in new research on services for people with a disability are not being met.

Long waiting times, the need for increased support during summer, insufficient frequency and more financial support for services not provided by the State are among the issues that need to be addressed, according to the University of Malta study.

The deficit of professionals working in the disability sector was highlighted as a primary reason why services are not meeting the needs of users, the study found.

It concludes that an action plan to recruit and retain human resources should be put into motion.

Public sector struggling to retain talent

Commissioned by the Commission for the Rights of Persons with Disability and carried out by the Faculty for Social Wellbeing at the University of Malta, the study found that while private sector salaries continue to attract professionals, the public sector is in a “constant battle” to retain its employees.

Services in the disability sector have improved in recent years, but barriers to their delivery persist and much more has to be done to adequately meet the needs of people with disability, a webinar to launch the research, heard on Monday. 

Too much red tape

Filling a local research gap, the study collected first-hand data from 180 service users and their guardians. 

Although the figures should be interpreted with caution, the findings were worrying and should not be overlooked, its authors said.

'We are miles away'

Faculty for Social Wellbeing dean Andrew Azzopardi did not mince his words in a passionate appeal for politicians to go beyond political correctness and understanding, and take decisions to address long-standing issues.

These included too much red tape, with people with disability having to explain their personal life situations time and time again to be eligible for services.

“We are miles away,” Azzopardi said, adding that “something is not connecting”.

He urged policymakers to put their money where their mouth is – not once a year in the budget – and to take the next step.

Andrew Azzopardi urged policymakers to make a more concerted effort to fix shortcomings. Photo: DOI/Pierre Sammut

What did the study find? 

Among the findings regarding residential services, 42% of respondents who requested an immediate placement were still waiting and users wanted this service to communicate more effectively.

Although 86% said respite services were available for requested dates, families and users wanted more flexibility and availability, especially in summer.

A quarter of respondents made use of community services, and this was considered by the panellists as both a result of parents and guardians being overprotective and wanting a secure place in an institution, as well as community services not being up to scratch.

The study found that the implementation of “deinstitutionalisation” needed to be more enforced through, for example, improved personal assistance services, aimed at more independent living and facilitating active participation in society.

It also highlighted a lack of continuity in services due to staff turnover, said research support officer Matthew Vassallo.

While involvement of users in the policy-making process should be constant, NGOs often found out about decisions after they are taken, particularly in residential settings.

More parking spaces and better education

Other issues include a lack of accessibility and the need for more designated parking spaces for people with disability, while a national educational campaign to raise awareness about disability is also required, the study found.

Among its recommendations for change in service provision in the disability sector was investment in more advanced technologies and the standardisation between services in Malta and Gozo, as well as a temporary voucher system to increase the frequency of particular services.

A lack of parking for people with a disability was among the issues cited. Photo: Shutterstock

A thorough evaluation was required to decipher which services were working and which were not before developing new ones, with the main role of the Social Care Standards Authority in the disability sector should shift to auditing of services, Vassallo continued.

While a robust financial backup was required, the study acknowledged that this may not be easy to attain at a time when “the economy is struggling and on the verge of a financial crisis” due to disruption caused by the pandemic. 

The disability sector, the world over, is often one of the first to suffer when austerity measures are implemented, it pointed out. 

“Strengthening these services will solidify the right of people with disability to fully participate in society, which the state has a lawful obligation to do,” the study concluded.

Panellists highlighted their first-hand experiences of the frustrations they faced on the ground for themselves or their disabled children, pointing out that it was the lack of adequate services that sometimes brought the disabilities to the fore.