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U.K. Service Creates Opportunities for People with Learning Disability

A new-style service is helping people with learning disabilities tailor services better to their needs. Community Opportunities, is the new name for day services for people with a learning disability in Leicestershire.

A new-style service is helping people with learning disabilities tailor services better to their needs.

Community Opportunities, is the new name for day services for people with a learning disability in Leicestershire.

Leicestershire County Council is making changes to the way people think about their service. Rather than just receiving a service during the day, it means people are able to choose activities at evenings and weekends.

Community Opportunities is designed to promote choice. It gives the County Council the chance to work out what is important to people now and in the future so services can be planned accordingly.More services are being made available in the evening and at weekends, by making support available at different times.

Instead of just increasing the amount of support people receive, the level of support is tailored to people’s individual plans, to enable them to be as independent as possible, supporting them to gain confidence and skills and be included in the community as well as providing more choices to volunteer and do paid work.

Supporting people to do as much as they can for themselves helps them have more choices and can help them stay safe.

David Sprason, Cabinet Lead Member for Adult Social Care and Health, said: “Community Opportunities is the result of the County Council’s ongoing commitment to the modernisation of day services for people with a learning disability in Leicestershire.

“This event celebrates our achievements so far and sets out our plans to continue moving towards real community opportunities for people based on their individual needs and wishes through continued investment, strengthening our links with community groups and building on our relationship with the voluntary and independent sector.”

Reference: To find out more about Community Opportunities, go to: www.leics.gov.uk/learning_disability

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