In 2011, the BBC Panorama programme exposed appalling and horrendous acts of physical and psychological abuse, as well as inexcusable and irrefutable acts of neglect and omissions of basic care in residential care homes for people with learning disabilities and challenging behaviour, known as the Winterbourne Scandal. June 2011 saw the conviction of 11 care workers. Shortly following, a Serious Case Review was published, as well as an official statement from the Association of Supported Living, which both stated and recommended that people with learning disabilities should be more suitably placed in community settings, to replace outdated and non-person-centred institutions like Winterbourne View.

PROSPECT CONCERNS CARE IS PART OF A NEW GENERATION OF PROVIDERS

We Support/offer adults 18-65 with learning disabilities the chance to receive the support and care they may need, in their own homes, within a local community setting. Far from the outdated, yet sadly not redundant, institution style residential homes and ward hospitals, where “residents” and “patients” compete for support and care amongst a large number of other individuals in a very structural and governed setting, which may be appropriate for some individuals, but not necessarily people with learning disabilities and communication difficulties, We Support/offer support in an individual’s own home, giving the individual autonomy and control over where they live, who they live with and how they live their lives.

There are various ways in which a person may be supported, whilst living in their own homes. A few examples include;

Living with their family or relatives and receiving care from Prospect Concerns Care in their home and/or accessing a day service with us, accessing the community regularly and participating in various activities of their choosing. This could consist of 24-hour support or a few hours a day/week, often known as “outreach” support.

Our most common model of support, known as SUPPORTED LIVING, involves an individual living as a tenant in their own home, quite often shared with other tenants who also require a similar level of support and who have similar needs. This allows for 24-hour support, due to reduced costs due to shared support, for individuals who are not granted the funds by their local authority to receive this level of support living by themselves or with family members. Prospect Concerns Care offer a full day service of meaningful activities and developmental goals, as well as 24-hour sleep-in staff and 24-hour on-call service. Service Users and family members lead the process of identifying a suitable home, suitable landlord and suitable co-tenants.

Living in their own owned or privately rented home, receiving hourly or 24-hour sleep-in support from Prospect Concerns Care. However, it should be noted that Prospect Concerns Care can only provide the number of hours of support agreed by the commissioners and local authority, and 24 dedicated support may not be allocated to one individual, thus a shared tenancy may be appropriate for individuals who require this level of support. Albeit, for individuals who are assessed as requiring their own environment, Prospect Concerns Care are able to cater to this and support in finding suitable accommodation such as self-contained Single Occupancy Supported Living Services.

Prospect Concerns Care have networks and good relations with a number of social and private landlords in London and the South East. We are able to mediate in assisting service users, family members and/or commissioners in finding an appropriate property with a landlord who is experienced in letting to people with learning disabilities and complex needs and who are content with allowing relevant adaptations to be made to an individual’s home, some which may be physical, structural alterations. This may include a new property, or a property that is already lived in by other individual’s who Prospect Concerns Care offer services. The service user, as well as current service user’s living in the property, will have the final say in who they want to live with.

Our Supported Living Services aim to facilitate the opportunity for adults to maintain a level of independence and opportunity for growth that most people are given when transitioning to adulthood when they move into their own homes.

Some of the services we are able to provide support and create opportunities and encouragement for development and independence including;

• Finances, Budgeting and Claiming Benefits
• Finding employment
• Cooking
• Cleaning and Domestic Tasks
• Seeking Further Educational Opportunities
• Health, Wellbeing and Physical Fitness
• Medication Administration and Monitoring
• Participating in Meaningful Activities and Hobbies
• Regular Community Access

The above states just some of the services we can provide to the people we support. We are able to tailor and cater our services to the needs of the individuals we support.