Aġenzija Sapport spent €2 million more in aid in 2020 than in 2019

Aġenzija Sapport’s 2020 budget was that of €22.9 million euro, making it €2 million higher than what it was in 2019 (€20.9 million), the Minister for Inclusion and Social Wellbeing Julia Farrugia Portelli told the press.

Aiming to enable people with a disability to live as independently as possible within the community, Aġenzija Sapport provides residential apartments or houses, were people with a disability who are not able to live in their own home or with their family are provided with necessary assistance on a 24/7 basis.

At the end of 2020, 73 people were benefiting from residential services, ranging from people between 11 years of age to people in their late 70s. The agency operates 10 residences across Malta and one in Gozo, employing 128 support workers: Fgura, Kirkop, Mtarfa, Siġġiewi, Birżebbuġa, Cospicua, Marsa, Pembroke, Żabbar, Mosta and Victoria, Gozo.

The largest portion of the 2020 funds went towards two schemes: the Independent Community Living Monitoring Services (ICLM) that the agency set up in 2020 and the People Assistance Scheme.

The former initiative which saw a €1,128,520 package − comprising of a multidisciplinary team who work in liaison with social workers – ensures that the services that people with disability are receiving are of the most beneficial form.

This scheme is split into three branches:

Direct payment: a financial package offered to persons with disability to enable them to select their own personal carer and to pay for the services themselves up to a maximum of 13 hours per week. 95 persons with a disability benefitted from this scheme in 2020.

Independent Community Living Scheme (ICL): from which 116 persons with a disability benefitted in 2020 – it is a financial package to aid in more intense situations wherein the hours of the services provided by a carer exceed the maximum offered through the Agency’s own human resources of Direct Payment.

Personal Assistance Fund (PAF): from which 71 persons with a disability benefitted in 2020 – it is a monthly or yearly financial package given to subsidise the costs of a carer for more than 30 hours per week up until full time.

The People Assistance Scheme on the other hand –

from which 643 people with a disability benefitted in 2020 − received a €201,338 grant, which went towards enabling people with a disability to purchase equipment which would allow them to live a more independent life.

Furthermore, €154, 401 was spent on the upkeep and modernisation of all of the agency’s residences as well as the investment in infrastructure, and €214,374 went towards the modernisation of community centres.

Other new services and initiatives in 2020

1. In 2020 Aġenzija Support launched a new Day Centre in Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq.

2. A national helpline was launched for persons with a disability.

3. Collaboration between different ministries on a national strategy towards the early disability screening of children.

4. The development and restructuring of social worker programmes for persons with a disability.

5. Works on three new residential projects in Żurrieq, Qrendi and Kirkop.