Support for carers of people with a learning disability
If you look after a friend or family member with a learning disability, specific support is available for you.
Looking after yourself
Looking after your wellbeing is important for you and for the person you care for.
We’ve created guides for carers to help them look after themselves. You can find out more about:
Get tailored support by taking a carer’s assessment
You can request a carer’s assessment to help you find and get referred to other support you may need. The carer’s assessment focuses on your needs, feelings, and thoughts about caring. Getting the right support can help you stay well and continue caring.
Find out more about carer’s assessments.
Guidance on Mencap
Mencap have created guidance to help you with:
- benefits applications
- direct payments
- the care needs assessment process
Find out more about the rights of carers on Mencap.
Respite care
Respite care is where you can take a break from caring, and someone else looks after the person you’re caring for.
Respite where someone else temporarily looks after the person you care for, either:
- overnight
- for a day
- for several days, like if you want to go on holiday
To find out if you can get funded respite care from us, we’ll need to do:
- a carer’s assessment with you to understand your needs
- a care needs assessment to understand the needs of the person you look after
These assessments allow us to understand what kind of respite is best for your situation, and whether you are eligible for funded respite care.
Kingston Carers Network
Kingston Carers Network provides support and advice for carers in all situations. Check the Kingston Carers Network online resource hub or contact them for more information.
Kingston Mencap support group
Kingston Mencap run a group for unpaid carers who support someone with a learning disability. You can meet people with similar experiences and listen to talks from guest speakers.
The group meets every 4 to 6 weeks at Searchlight Community Centre, Kingston Road, New Malden, KT3 3RX.
Find out more about the Kingston Mencap carer’s support group.
Alternative support in an emergency
Many carers worry about what will happen to the person they look after in an emergency - for example, if the carer has an accident or becomes unwell. It can be helpful to put a plan in place to make sure the person you look after is cared for in any situation.
Read our guidance on planning for emergencies to find out about emergency alert cards and nominating a temporary carer.
Making decisions for someone else
There are formal agreements you can put in place to make decisions on behalf of someone else, like managing their money or their care. We’ve put together a guide on the different ways you can get formal responsibility to make decisions for someone else.
Hospital stays
If the person you look after is in Kingston Hospital, there are specific things you can do to make sure you’re closely involved in their care.
Carer’s passport
A carer’s passport allows you to be involved in a vulnerable person’s care from the moment they arrive in hospital. This means you can:
- visit them outside of normal visiting hours
- help them with personal care, meals and drinks
- be actively involved in meetings about their treatment and care
You can discuss the carer’s passport with the nurse in charge of the ward. Find out more about carer’s passports at Kingston Hospital.
Carer’s clinical liaison team
Kingston Hospital has a service to help carers with their own wellbeing and practical steps like discharge support and referrals to other organisations for ongoing support.
You can speak to any medical staff at the hospital to refer you to the liaison team. Find out more about the carer’s clinical liaison team at Kingston Hospital.
More support for carers on Connected Kingston
Other organisations offer support to carers in Kingston. Check Connected Kingston to find other charities and groups that might be useful to you.