Living Independently - With Our Support

For more than 30 years Heart of England Mencap has been providing services for people with learning disabilities, autism, and a range of individual needs.

How we support people

Our approach to care recognises that no two people have the same aspirations or needs. We aim to provide services with the individual at the heart of all we do.

The fundamentals of our services are based on a range of principles that aim to support living the life that an individual would like to live. To enable, facilitate and guide this approach, we are aligned with the REACH standards, a voluntary ‘code’ that helps describe our approach to supporting people to live a meaningful life.

We believe that the best support only works when designed to give people what they really want.

What is Supported Living - Easy Read

What does our support look like?

We recognise that there are a range of aspects that make a life fulfilling and these are different for everyone. We aim to enable people to be as independent as possible, while always ensuring a safe and secure environment.

The existing health and social care assessment systems do not always have a holistic approach to identifying the range of needs and aspirations that people have. Therefore, funding is often restricted and does not consider all these aspects. We look to find creative ways of enabling people, to ensure each of these areas are a part of someone’s life. This includes:

Transitional support is provided for those moving to supported living for the first time. We also help people needing to move on from other accommodation which many no longer suitable to their needs.

Encouraging people to develop independent living skills
Helping to build independent living skills, which include: healthy eating; personal hygiene; pride in a well-run, clean, and tidy home; personal budgeting, and shopping

Developing an active social life – with the reassurance of support always being on hand
Being a valuable member of the local community, through engagement and participation in local services and activities

Assessing accommodation solutions to ensure people are compatible, encouraging friendships, and help wherever possible
We encourage those in Supported Living to access our Day Provision to enrich their lives through education, social skills, and even voluntary or paid work

Why we believe in the approach

An approach that helps protect people’s human rights

Support people whose lives may have been restricted because of long-term placements in settings that have not been appropriate

Supporting people to live differently when their needs have changed

Providing support for a community-led approach

Enabling a care model that helps people define what it means for them to have
‘The right support, in the right place, at the right time.’

Fundamentally we believe our approach to care should be about enabling people to lead an ordinary life and should include some key principles, including:

Chichester Lane

Rosedale

Some of Our Settings

What’s right for your family?

We spoke to Frank and Glynis, whose daughter Amelia is supported by Heart of England Mencap. Amelia moved into her own home in 2015, we hear Frank and Glynis talking about their experience of Amelia moving out.

Meet the Team