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Families
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What are Families?
This section of the website is about the important part that families play in the lives of people with learning disabilities.
Many people with learning disabilities live with their families (we think 60%), and get most of the support they need from them.
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What does Valuing People say?
Valuing People said that this should be recognised and that family carers should get more support from services to help them.
Valuing People has a chapter about Supporting Carers.
It also came with a separate book called 'Family Matters' that said more about what needs to change for family carers.
Objective: To increase the help and support carers receive from all local agencies in order to fulfil their family and caring roles effectively.
Family carers said they wanted:
- More and better information
- Better assessment of their own needs
- Better access to support services like day services and short break services (respite care) particularly for those with more severe disabilities
- To be treated as valued partners by local agencies, not as barriers to their son's or daughter's greater independence
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Links and Resources
Link to National Family Carer network website
Family Matters: Counting Families In
This came out with Valuing People
The Carers (Equal Opportunities) Act was passed in July 2004.
This makes sure that carers could get access to the same opportunities that other people take for granted. This includes:
- Making sure that that all carers know that they are entitled to an assessment of their needs
- Councils have to think about the other things in a carers life (like work, studying, or leisure) when carrying out an assessment
- getting health services and councils to work better together so that the support they give to carers is joined up
The Carers (& Disabled Children) Act 2000 made 4 new changes, so that Local Authorities (Councils) could give more support to carers:
- For the first time it said that Local Authorities had the power to provide services to carers who had had an assessment.
- It said the Local Authority could give Direct Payments to carers for services that are to help the carer
- It said that Social Services could run new short-term break voucher schemes
- It meant that the Local Authority could ask for money from the carer, for services they get.