New Directions - Day services for adults with disabilities

New Directions is the HSE's approach to supporting adults with disabilities who use day services in Ireland. New Directions sets out twelve supports that should be available to people with disabilities using 'day services'. It proposes that 'day services' should take the form of individualised outcome-focussed supports to allow adults using those services to live a life of their choosing in accordance with their own wishes, needs and aspirations. There is a structure set up within the nine HSE Community Healthcare Organisations (CHO) nationally to implement New Directions. These CHO New Directions Implementation Groups have representatives from every HSE funded adult day Service Provider within the CHO area.

Access to day services for adults with disabilities

Adult day services are HSE funded programmes to provide day services supports to people age 18 and over, with intellectual disabilities, autism, or people with complex physical disabilities. The programmes assist people to make choices and plans and to be an active, independent member of the community.

Referrals for adult day services should be sent to the local HSE disability day service office.

Find out more about accessing adult day services

Contact a service in your area

Latest updates

Monitoring system for the Interim Standards

The HSE in partnership with NDA and Umbrella bodies is developing an outcomes-focused monitoring system to support the implementation of New Directions

A Steering Group was convened and a Project Plan was developed and approved in March 2023. The objective of the project is to; “Develop a monitoring system to assess day services’ progress towards achievement of the Interim Standards for New Directions to assist stakeholders to deliver services and supports in accordance with the vision and stated objectives outlined in the New Directions and the Value for Money reports.”

We are conducting consultations to inform the development of the outcomes-focused monitoring system. There are 4 strands of consultations which will take place in Q3 2024:

Adults who attend day services
Family members
Direct Support Staff
Interim Standards Organisational Leads

New Person Centred Planning Resources (May 2024)

The Core Values of New Directions are Person Centeredness, Community Inclusion, Active Citizenship and Quality. The HSE, People attending Services and Providers have worked together to develop accessible resources that will help everyone to understand what Person Centred Planning means for them. This includes information on person centred planning, understanding what is important to the person, and how Person Centred Planning works for the person, family and friends, and staff working in HSE funded disability services.

Access resources on Person-Centred Planning

eLearning Module for Person Centred Planning (May 2024)

This eLearning module is for all management and staff working in HSE funded Adult Disability Day Services. It provides staff with the skills to effectively develop person centred planning with the person supported. It is also a resource for all HSE adult disability services. This eLearning module is available on HSEland

eLearning Module for New Directions

This eLearning module is for all management and staff working in HSE funded Adult Disability Day Services. The eLearning Module for New Directions - Putting New Directions into Practice enables the learner to learn about the 12 supports and core values of New Directions, how to apply good practice in services and provide quality supports to people with disabilities.

Person-Centred Planning Framework

In 2018 the HSE published A National Framework for Person-Centred Planning in Services for Persons with a Disability.

To support the roll out of the Person-Centred Planning Framework to all day services a Webinar Series was broadcast in 2021 to introduce and explain the PCP Framework. Service providers are currently self-evaluating their service to establish if their practice is in line with the framework. This series featured people who use services, staff and management and outlines the key elements of the Person-Centred Planning. Webinar recordings are available on HSeLanD for day service providers.

The National Person-Centred Planning group have developed a PCP Information Module for Persons with Disabilities and their Circles of Support along with an eLearning Training Module for staff in Adult Disability Day. These resources were launched by Minister Rabitte on 29th May 2024.

Interim Standards

The Interim Standards for New Directions Services and Supports for Adults with Disabilities Report requiring service providers and key stakeholders to involve people with disabilities in the design, delivery, monitoring and evaluation of the services and supports provided. The Interim Standards aim to be a catalyst for community inclusion and self-determination in the lives of people with disabilities. They also aim to provide a framework to assist stakeholders to deliver services and supports in accordance with the vision and stated objectives outlined in the New Directions and the Transforming Lives Programme.

The Interim Standards and Monitoring - Easy to Read Leaflet (PDF, size 358.9 KB, 4 pages)

Interim Standards for New Directions - Easy to Read (PDF, size 2.4 MB, 21 pages)