Planning the right accommodation with support
It is important to try to start planning for future housing needs as soon as possible. Different areas plan in different ways. In Denbighshire County Council for example they have developed a housing needs spreadsheet, which records and identifies accommodation needs, including the type and location of accommodation that people will need in the future, and when they will need it. This has been a really helpful tool to plan what will be built or developed for people with learning disabilities in future, and helping to prevent people having to go into inappropriate housing.
Support for parents/carers with planning for the future is of course very important. Conwy Connect have been helping carers plan for the future for many years, and we have recently supported Denbighshire to commission this support from Conwy Connect in their area.
Planning for the future toolkit
To find out more, including how you can access this support, please click here.
You can read our accommodation report for more information about what we have found, and what the Learning Disability Transformation Project is planning to try to make sure that people have the right supported accommodation for their needs and wishes.
This guidance from the National Commissioning Board contain lots of useful information about developing and funding the best accommodation and support for people with learning disabilities in Wales, including:
– providing guidance and looking at different options for the planning of accommodation and support services for a good life
– looking at how accommodation and support offers can become more person-centred and flexible, to offer a ‘support for a good life’ approach
– looking at how we can increase accommodation options closer to home,
– suggesting how we can make services more up-to-date
Co-producing solutions
In Conwy we are working with a group of individuals to make the best plan to help them to live closer to home. This new approach will involve joint planning and commissioning between Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board and Conwy County Borough Council.
We have set up some meetings, and close family are helping to advocate for them, to make sure they have their voices heard, and that we know exactly what they will need to make their new homes a success.
This will give these individuals the best start to having a quality life near family and friends.