This Devon County Council funded service helps parents and carers of adults with a Learning Disability have a say and influence the services that affect them. The TTVS Learning Disability Carer Worker is responsible for providing all aspects of the service to Parents and Carers in Torridge, North and Mid Devon.
If you are a Parent Carer of an adult with a Learning Disability, you can access the following help and support through this service:
- Support to attend Locality Forum meetings, where parents can meet, share ideas and challenge service providers when necessary.
- Access to generic and Learning Disability support and information, including Carer Information Packs, which will include Learning Disability specific information.
- Information, advice, support and help with specific issues.
- Support to get involved in consultations and other activities that will inform the development of relevant services.
- A regular newsletter.
To access any of the above or for more information, please contact the Support Worker (LauraC@torridgecvs.org.uk) or telephone 01237 420137 or 07944 562808.
If you wish to read any of the newsletters from the past year please click on the relevant link below.
Spring Newsletter 2010 Summer Newsletter 2010 Autum Newsletter 2010
Find out what the carers think of the Northern Devon Family Carers Group.
A year of being a Carer’s development worker for the Learning Disability Carers Service.
By Laura Clements.
Since coming into post in February 2010, I feel that the carers using this year’s service have started to mould a service that they find both useable and friendly. Historically, the Carers meetings in North Devon where very formal and had limited social events and in Mid Devon practically nonexistent.
Since I have come into post I have listened to a lot of carers and consulted at several points and it has become apparent that whilst the formal meeting in North Devon were greatly respected and appreciated there was room for a more informal gathering and carers desperately wanted an opportunity for socialising.
I have endeavoured to develop these requests in North Devon, so far a drop in session now runs fortnightly in Bideford and is gaining a reputation for the fabulous cakes- and the availability for up to date information and guest visitors.
The formal meetings are still running bi-monthly and continue to be very well supported. Several socialising events have been held and are scheduled to happen. Carer’s walks and a BBQ have been well attended and coming up we have a mince pie and mulled wine evening at the Community Resource Centre in Ilfracombe on the 7th December at 6pm providing an opportunity for family carers and cared for to meet other carers and service user’s of the resource centre in an informal manner.
Many ideas for next year in North Devon are being bandied around but so far loosely discussed is the potential for a Valentine’s Ball for Carers and cared for – this will be potentially opened up to ALL Learning Disabled carers and cared for regardless of whether they are in residential care or at home.
This will be alongside the usual meetings and carers walks that are routinely held.
In Mid Devon success is being celebrated in Okehampton after several well attended meetings, a Christmas lunch was held at the Bearslake Inn at Sourton on the 14th December.
Tiverton and surrounding area unfortunately have not been so successful, it has been hard to get any meeting’s going in this area despite reassurances from carers in this area that they are really wanted, despite this a carers lunch will be held on the 8th December at Padbrook Park, Cullompton to try and tempt carers out to meet me with the hope that meetings/ drop in’s can start in the new year.
A Housing and benefits conference is pencilled in the diary for March for all carers across the county, all three development workers will plan the day and try to ensure that appropriate speakers and workshops happen that will fully benefit the carers and cared for.
Carers have also requested a pamper day in Mid Devon so this will also be looked at closely as to where, when and if it happens.
Of course this is a small part of what I do with my thirty hours a week, but suffice to say I am busy!
Anybody interested in attending any of these events or would like to suggest other’s or maybe just find out a bit more about the service are always welcome to contact me on LauraC@torridgecvs.org.uk or 01237 420137 or 07944562808, TTVS, 14 Bridgeland Street, Bideford, Devon, EX39 2QE.
