Learning disabilities
To support our residents who have a learning disability, we have a full range of support resources that can help them maintain independent, safe and active lives. The variety of local groups and national organisations with whom we work are able to provide the right type of help and advice, that’s designed to ensure that an individual's needs can be met, and their daily lives enhanced.
The Community Learning Disability Team
Health and Social Care staff who support adults with learning disabilities, their families, and carers. They may be able to support you if you are 18 and over, have a learning disability and live in the Royal Borough of Kingston, or have a GP in Kingston. They can be reached at: Sessions House, 17 Ewell Road, Surbiton, KT6 6AF
Email: CLDT.duty@kingston.gov.uk Telephone: 020 8547 6558
Involve
Who are Involve?
Involve Kingston is a team of experts by experience. Peer advocates who support community members with learning disabilities and autism. Involve gives advice and guidance to Council teams and other organisations to ensure people with learning disabilities are included in consultations within the borough and are given information about services in a way that is easy to understand.
What do the Involve team do?
- Members of the team feedback the things that people have told them are important, for example in meetings at the Council, TFL, Kingston Hospital or with Healthwatch, so things can be improved for people with a learning disability.
- Convert documents, reports, letters etc. into Easy Read. These easyread versions are produced and made available to residents by email and shared on the Kingston Council website.
- Host 'Friends Chats' for community members to come together and discuss different topics. Allowing a safe and non-judgmental space for residents to share their stories, reduce isolation, and build a sense of community.
Download our About Involve Easy Read for more information.
If you would like to contact us, you can email: involve@kingston.gov.uk
You can now find us on Twitter: @kingstoninvolv1
Health
- Healthcare passport - information about the passport on the NHS website
- Acute Learning Disability Liaison Team are available to support adults who have a learning disability to access hospital services’ Contact them via email at khft.learningdisabilityteam@nhs.net or for urgent enquiries call 0208 934 6895.
- Healthwatch for people who use health and social care services
- Your Healthcare - specialist help and support
- Annual Health Checks - how to have a health check in Kingston
- NHS information on Learning disability.
Mental wellbeing
- Kingston MIND - they make sure that everyone with a mental health issue gets the help they need.
- The Kingston Wellbeing Service helps people in Kingston aged 18 years and over with drug and alcohol problems as well as ‘talking therapies’ for those who are worried and depressed.
Easy read information
- Transgender information
- NHS England Easy read newsletter
- Accessing easy-to-understand Information - advice from Mencap website
- NHS England - Accessible Information Standard - helping people with a disability or sensory loss get and understand the health and social care information they need.
Friendship & relationships
- Sexuality and relationship advice from Mencap
- Advice on safe sex available at Wolverton centre
- Rainbow Friends London Twitter - for people who identify as learning disabled and LGBTQIA+
- Help and advice if you identify as LGBTQIA+
Things to do - Meet old friends, make new ones:
- Look on Connected Kingston for fun things to do. There is also a list of online activities here.
- Day centres: Home Farm Trust/ Enhanceable/ Avenues/ Eco-op - Contact them to find out what support they offer at this time.
- Kingston Mencap runs a lot of online activities. Contact Michelle Kitsch to find out more.
- Tag - a youth club for disabled young people with a disability to meet up with their friends, take part in fun activities and learn social and life skills.
- Local Offer website up to age 25 - information on local services and support available for families including children and young people aged 0 - 25 years with special educational needs or disabilities.
Get involved - Have a say - Join in
- Healthwatch - Learning Disability Partnership Board
- Kingston Mencap - Profound Multiple Learning Disability day. Online Let’s Talk sessions - contact Michelle Kitsch on michelle@kingstonmencap.org.uk
- Involve - if you would like to help make things better for people with learning disabilities get in contact with Involve at Kingston Council by emailing reception.sessionshouse@kingston.gov.uk
- Involvement and Engagement activities for young people
Help with speaking up
- Cambridge House - if you have problems with benefit claims, housing and support issues
- Powher - if you are not happy with the NHS
- Kingston Advocacy Group - helps vulnerable people have a say in decisions that affect them and how they live their lives.
Education
- Kingston Adult Education - courses for learners with a learning disability
- Richmond and Hillcroft Adult Community College - Courses for adults with learning disabilities
Volunteering
- Volunteering Kingston - the service for Volunteers and Active Citizens within the Royal Borough of Kingston-upon-Thames.
- Eco-op - a charity project who promote physical and mental well-being through learning and activities. Offer pathways into college and other local community activities for vulnerable adults.
Help to find a job
- Working Well Trust - Working Well Trust can help you find a job. They will also help you with your CV, work experience or volunteering.
- Job centre - information on finding a job if you have a disability - how to contact the Job centre. Work Coaches help people with a disability look for work.
- Getting ready for work for young people - for young people up to 25 years old.
- Way to work - offers apprenticeship vacancies and full-time jobs for young people aged 16-24 with local employers.
Money
- Information on Disability benefits from the Government website
- Citizens Advice - information and advice for Kingston residents
- Jobcentre - you can contact the jobcentre about new or existing benefit claims
- Kingston Carers Network - they can give you advice on benefits.
Housing
- RBK Housing team - Support service
- Help with meals - Wiltshire Farm Foods/ Appetito
- Disabled Facilities Grant - you can apply for a grant to make your home accessible
- Fire safety - advice and tips that will help you be safe from the risk of fire.
- Home Fire Safety visit - a free visit from the fire service to give you advice on fire safety. They will even fit free smoke alarms during their visit if needed.
- Kingston Churches Action on Homelessness - support for people who are homeless, at risk of being homeless or who are having serious problems with private landlords.
- Spear - support for people who are homeless in Kingston
Transport
- Blue badge - how to apply for one and how to use them
- Disabled parking bay - apply online for a disabled person’s parking bay
- Freedom pass - gives free travel across London and free local bus journeys nationally
- Travel mentoring - learn to use public transport with training from Transport For London.
Accessible places
- Accessible toilets - where to find them across the borough and Changing places Toilet map or the Great British Public Toilet map
- Radar key - to order a universal key that will reliably unlock public toilets
Safeguarding
- Disability awareness card - issued to young people with disabilities or parents and carers of children and young people with disabilities.
- Reporting a hate crime
- Safeguarding Concern Form - fill in this Form if you do not feel safe. You may need someone to help you do this.
- Staying safe on social media and online
Are you being hurt or upset?
Tell someone you trust. Do it straight away. You can phone the Care Management team on 020 8547 6558 or phone 999 if it's an emergency.
If you would like to learn more about how to keep safe when out and about, we run a group to learn about personal safety. Please contact The Community Learning Disability Team.
Safe Places
A Safe Place is a place to go - such as a shop or a venue - where there are people who will help people with learning disabilities if they ever feel unsafe or need some help in the community. The Safe Place logo can be seen in shop windows in and around Kingston and you need a Safe Place card to sign up to be part of the Scheme. If you are out in the community and you are:
- bullied
- picked on
- hit
- made to feel unsafe or scared
Go to a place where you see the Safe Place sign.
Places that display the Safe Place sign have staff who can support you to get help. Make sure you carry your Safe Place card to help them to help you.
Further Information
- All Age Learning Disability Plan - Easy read version - making life better for people with learning disabilities and their families.
- Connected Kingston - information on support available in Kingston
- Calendar of online activities - chat and social activities to join-in
- Achieving for Children - The Royal Borough of Kingston is working with Achieving for Children, NHS South West London CCG and others to improve the lives of children, young people and adults with learning disabilities.
- Local Offer website - Information about support for children and young people with learning disabilities.
- Your Healthcare - for community healthcare services and specialist help and support. Hollyfield House, 22 Hollyfield Road, Surbiton KT5 9AL Tel: 020 8339 8000
- Connect clinic at the Wolverton Centre - provides social health and relationship support and advice to help people with learning disabilities, autism and Aspergers.