Learning disability support options

When it comes to choosing the right support for a person with learning disabilities the most important thing to remember is that you have the right to make your decision on your own terms.

Social services will be there every step of the way to support you but it is ultimately a decision that you need to be comfortable with.

How the process works

Step 1: Assessment

You should contact your local social services department to arrange an assessment to establish how much support you or your family member needs. You should contact your local council to ask for an assessment. An assessment is a discussion about what you and/or your family member needs with the people that know you best. It is usually done with a social worker or a care manager. It is really important that you are involved in the assessment and that your views are taken account of.

Social services departments will have criteria that sets out who is eligible for support and the needs they will arrange support to meet. This is generally called eligibility criteria and will be different from one local council to another.

Step 2: Research

Social services should recommend some local services that will be appropriate but it is worth doing some research yourself to make sure you are comfortable with their recommendations.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) in England, the Care and Social Service Inspectorate Wales (CSSIW) in Wales and Social Care and Social Work Improvement Scotland (SCSWIS) are all independent regulators who monitor local services to ensure that they meet the necessary Government standards. Use these sites to find out more about the services your local authority has recommended or to find high quality services in your area.

You can request further information about any Craegmoor service via our enquiry line on 0845 2 774679.

Step 3: Visit the services

You can visit any of Craegmoor’s services before you make your decision. Our staff are always happy to meet with you, show you round the service and introduce you to the people we support so you can find out what they think about their service. You can arrange a visit to any Craegmoor service by phoning the service manager directly, numbers for your local service are available via our service directory.

Please be aware though that any service you choose must provide the level of support required and fees must be agreed with Social Services if the local authority is paying for the service.

Types of service

Supported Living

Craegmoor Supported living services provide innovative support across England, Wales and Scotland. All our services are focused on supporting people to be as independent as possible within their own homes and in the local community. We support and encourage individuals with household tasks, going shopping and managing money. We also support people to access local facilities like leisure centres and libraries and to fulfil their education or employment wishes.

Respite and Day services

Short breaks for people with learning disabilities and family members are very important to make sure that carers can have a break from their caring responsibilities and to give people the opportunity to make new friends and to take part in a range of activities away from home.

Craegmoor can offer both respite short breaks and day opportunities.

Residential services

Craegmoor has a wide variety of services across England, Wales and Scotland that can provide tailored, personalised support for people with learning disabilities. Most of our services are small, homely environments that allow our friendly and dedicated staff to focus on providing the correct support in a relaxed atmosphere.

Everyone is involved in creating their own person centred plan which enables individuals to make their own choices about the support they receive. We encourage and support everyone to identify their own goals and decide how they would like to go about achieving them.

We support everyone to develop their daily living skills with the goal of achieving as much independence as possible and encourage involvement in local communities to help individuals build confidence.

To find services in your area use our Search for a Service tool.

Independent hospitals

Some people with complex needs may need to spend some time in hospital for a period of assessment, treatment and rehabilitation. With the focus firmly on rehabilitation our hospitals support and encourage everyone to get involved with a wide range of educational, vocational or leisure activities aiming to enable progression through an individually designed care pathway. A Multi Disciplinary team works closely with the individual and their allocated key worker to ensure that rehabilitation progresses at an appropriate pace for the individual.

Some of our hospitals include step-down units which allow individuals to increase their independence while maintaining the security of familiar surroundings and staff.

Things to consider:

• The quality of the accommodation – does it meet your needs? Is it clean and tidy?
• Location – can you visit easily? Are there facilities nearby? Is it a nice area?
• Religious / ethnic / cultural needs – are dietary requirements catered for? What if English isn’t your first language?
• Activity planning and support for people to access a range of vocational, leisure and community services
• Community links – are there regular outings?
• Family involvement in the service
• Safety / security