Learning Disabilities
The Learning Disability Service is committed to helping and supporting people with learning disabilities living in the City of Leicester.
Leicester is hosting the Special Olympics for the second time in 20 years, the only City to do this, and we will be using this opportunity to highlight the strengths and achievements of people with learning disabilities and create a legacy for people with learning disabilities.
We are very honoured that the Lord Mayor has chosen the Special Olympics for people with Learning Disabilities as her charity.
People with learning disabilities are one of the most vulnerable groups in society and Leicester City Council is committed to helping them.
We believe that people with learning disabilities should be able to have more choices, improved independence, know their rights and be part of their local community.
We are also a member of the Leicester City Learning Disability Partnership Board.
This page contains information about Learning Disabilities. You can also find out more about Learning Disabilities by visiting the Leicester Disability Information Network.
How to Contact Us
We work closely with health staff to offer support and advice to people over 18 and their carers.
From January 2007, the City Council and the National Health Service Learning Disability Services will be working from one base. You will only need to contact this one place to get in touch with health or social care staff in Leicester City.
You can contact us yourself or ask somebody to do this for you using the details below:
| Name: | Learning Disabilities Service Adults and Housing Department |
| Address: | 1 Grey Friars, Leicester LE1 5PH |
| Telephone: | 0116 253 1191 |
| Minicom: | 0116 251 8040 |
| Emergencies: | 0116 255 1606 |
| Email: | customer.services@leicester.gov.uk |
A worker from the Access Team will ask you about your needs and decide if you need a service from us.
The worker has to follow rules called "Eligibility Criteria" to decide if we can offer you a service.
If the worker thinks you do not need a service that we can provide, they will tell you about what other help you might be able to get.
If the worker from the Access Team thinks you need our help, they will arrange for a Social Worker to visit you.
A Community Care Assessment form will be filled in to help decide what services you might get.
Once you start to have a service, if nothing changes you will have a review once a year. This is to check that you have the right support and that your services are still meeting your needs.
A Care Manager will work with you to find out how we can provide what you need. The Care Manager will ask you about the things you like and about what is important to you.
A Care Plan will be written taking into account the things you would like to do. A Care Plan says what services you need.
The Care Manager will arrange the services or care to best suit what you told us you need.
We have a range of services to suit individual needs. All our services aim to help people improve their independence, choices, be included in their community and learn new skills.
Some of the services we can offer are:
- Community Opportunities - about 30 community groups spread across the City. The groups are based in places like community centres, libraries and leisure centres.
- Hastings Road and Layton House (Access All Areas) – for people with high support needs and those who challenge services. Specialist health and social care staff work together to improve people’s health, choice and independence.
- Short Breaks – to give you and your carers a break from each other. There is also an Adult Placement Scheme where you can have a short break with paid carers in their home.
- Employment – different schemes that give the training and skills to help those that want to find paid work.
- Supported Living – to help those that want to live independently but still get the right amount of support to meet their needs, such as help with cooking, paying bills and shopping.
- Specialist Health Services – to help people with health needs. They include Community Nurses, Psychology services, Occupational, Speech and Language and Physiotherapists.
Things you might want to think about
- Person Centred Planning – puts you at the centre of planning for your life. Family, friends or anyone YOU choose listen and help you to think about what you want now and in the future. Everyone works with you to try and make things happen.
- Health Action Planning – it is about you and says what you can do to be healthy. A Health Action plan helps to make sure you get the help, services and support you need to be healthy. It helps other people, like doctors and nurses, understand your needs.
- Communication Passport – tell other people and services about the best way they can listen to you, talk to you and give you information that is easy for you to understand.
- Individual Budgets - put you at the centre of the deciding how the support you need should be provided. You get to know how much money there is for your support needs. You do a support plan to show how you want your support needs to be met using this money.
- Direct Payments - a different way of getting your support that gives you more choice and control over your life. Instead of giving you a service/equipment we give you the money to arrange and buy the support you need. Direct Payments do not affect your benefits.
- Assistive Technology - different gadgets or equipment to help you be more independent and do things for yourself. An example is the medication dispenser that reminds you to take your pills when you need to.
If you have a carer
Carers can ask for a Carers Assessment. Carers can have an assessment even if the person they care for is not using our services. A Carers Assessment gives carers a chance to tell us about their needs and about what would make caring easier for them.
Useful links
- Leicester Disability Information Network - information for the disabled andtheir carers.
- Supporting People - improving housing related support for people in Leicester, including those with learning disabilities
- Valuing People - government plan to improve the lives of people with learning disabilities
Support Groups
There are a number of support groups who can help you. For example, We Think and We Think Too are groups that help and support adults with learning disabilities.
Other useful websites
Telling us what you think
We want you to help us improve our services by telling us what you are happy with and what you are not happy with. You can do this by talking to staff that work with you.
You can also ask to speak to a manager or you can contact:
| Name: | Customer Care Manager |
| Address: | Freepost LE824, Leicester, LE1 7ZP |
| Telephone: | 0116 252 8326 |
| Email: | socis228@leicester.gov.uk |
We also have a formal complaints procedure that you can use to inform us of your views on the services we provide.
You can also help us plan and improve services by joining the Learning Disability Partnership Board.
If you would like to know more about the Partnership Board you can contact the Valuing People Support Officer on 0116 225 4750.
Related Documents
*Leicester City Council is not responsible for the content and services on external websites.