Choosing Staff

Involving people with learning difficulties in the organization of the services they use is a key aim for many service providers and users. More organizations are beginning to achieve this by directly involving people in staff recruitment, and service users have also highlighted this role as crucial if they are to be fully involved in planning and delivering services. This report explores the extent and nature of user involvement in recruiting staff for statutory, voluntary and residential services. It examines how people with learning difficulties are helping to choose the staff who work with them, and looks at when and where user participation is most likely to take place and whether it has been successful.