Council launches learning disability day services consultation

Cheshire West and Chester Council is running a consultation about learning disability day services, closing at midnight on Wednesday 8th May.

There are nearly 7,000 people with a learning disability, or neurodivergent people, in west Cheshire and almost 500 currently attend learning disability day services commissioned by the Council.

A review of learning disability day services has been taking place to make sure people aged 18 and above who have a learning disability, or neurodivergent people, receive support that meets individual needs and provides value for money.

As part of this review, a series of workshops hosted by Cheshire Disabled People’s Panel took place in 2023 to hear the views of:

• people currently accessing learning disability day services
• those who don’t currently access learning disability day services
• support staff, carers and family members
• current providers of learning disability day services
• providers that don’t currently deliver learning disability day services.

Following these workshops, six key proposals have been put together for the public consultation, looking at:

• providing different options for how care and support are funded
• providing greater choice for people over when and where they access community activities
• improving access to transport to attend activities
• introducing a new booking system for activities and transport
• increasing support to help people into paid employment and learn new skills
• improving the way we share information about the activities available.

Councillor Sheila Little, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, said:

“Hearing from people with lived experience has been key throughout this review.

“We’ve worked with people who have a learning disability, neurodivergent people and those who support them to look at how we can improve learning disability day services in the future.

“Not only have they helped create the proposals we’re consulting on, but they’ve also played a key role in developing our resources to make it as easy as possible for everyone to engage with this consultation.

“Coproduction has been at the heart of this review since the very start.”

How you can have your say:

• Visit: cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/lddayservicesreview for more detailed information about each of the proposals and ways to take part in the survey
• Write to: Learning Disability Day Services Review, Insight and Intelligence, Cheshire West and Chester Council, The Portal, Wellington Road, Ellesmere Port, CH65 0BA
• Email: lddayservicesreview@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk and share your views
• Telephone: 0300 123 8123 to speak to the Council’s Contact Centre, quoting ‘Learning Disability Day Service Review’
• Complete a paper copy of the survey, which are being made available in public libraries, day centres and on request using the contact details above. Alternative formats are also available on request

The Council is running a range of sessions both in person and online so people can provide their input.

• Tuesday 27 February, 5pm to 8pm – online via Microsoft Teams
• Thursday 29 February, 10am to 2pm – face-to-face session at Firdale, Northwich
• Wednesday 6 March, 3pm to 7pm – face-to-face session at Lightfoot Lodge, Chester
• Thursday 7 March, 9.30am to 12.30pm – online via Microsoft Teams

While you can simply turn up to the face-to-face sessions, you’ll need to book a 10-minute slot for the online sessions.

Take part in an online session

Vivo Care Choices, the Council’s in-house care service, and other providers will be running their own workshops during the consultation for people they support.