What is The Big Plan?

This is a five year plan for services for adults with learning disabilities in Brighton and Hove.

The plan will help people with learning disabilities in Brighton and Hove lead healthy, happy lives.

We want to tell you about the plan and hear what    you think.

Who put The Plan together?

The Council worked with lots of people to make sure the plan is right for everyone. They worked with:

·       People with learning disabilities

·       Carers, Parents and families

·       Managers and people at the council

·       The Clinical commissioning group who are in charge of health care

·       Providers of services for people with learning disabilities

·       Organisations that work with people with learning disabilities

How did we know what to put in the

Plan?

We asked lots of people what they thought should be in the plan. We listened to:

·       People with learning disabilities

·       Carers

·       Parents

·       Services

·       Amaze

·       Speak Out

·       Carer’s Centre

·       Parent carer’s council

What people did people tell us?

People told us what is most important in their lives.

We listened and put these ideas in The Plan.

These ideas are the Six Big Themes.

What are the Six Big Themes?

·      Relationships, Friendships and feeling safe

·      Health and mental health

·      Activities, work and learning

·      Housing and Support

·      Transitions

·      Information and advice

What people told us

Relationships and friendships

·       People are lonely because it is hard to make friends and see people.

They want to be able to date and have relationships.

·       People want to talk about sex, sexuality and gender.

They want information about sexual health, sexuality and relationships.

·       It can be hard to stay safe when you are out or online. It is hard to know who you can trust.

What we will do

·       Make sure people with learning disabilities get to learn and talk about relationships.

·       Make it easy for people to get accessible information about sex, sexuality and gender.

·       Make sure there is training and information for families, carers and staff about friendships relationships, sexuality and gender.

·       Help people in Brighton and Hove understand people with learning disabilities so that they get the support they need.

·       Make sure that people know who to go to if they are bullied on the street, bus or anywhere else.

·       Support people to stay in contact with friends through transitions and changes.

·       Promote the right to do activities and go out in the evenings.

How will we know if we are getting it right?

·       There will be lots of activities and groups where people can spend time together.

·       People will be able to talk and learn about friendships, relationships and keeping safe.

·       People will be able to talk and learn about sex, sexuality and gender.

·       People will feel safer and more supported in their community.

What people told us

Health and Mental Health

·       People are not getting accessible information from their doctors.

Some people are not getting annual health checks or extra time.

·       Making appointments and talking to reception staff make people anxious.

·       People are not getting the support they need to keep healthy.

·       It is hard to get support with mental health.

Some people say they have harmed themselves because they did not know where to turn.

What we will do

·       Make sure that it is easy to find information about health and wellbeing services.

·       Make sure that there are accessible activities to help people with learning disabilities stay healthy and happy.

·       Make it easier to know where to go for help with mental health.

·       Work with others so that young people get better mental health information and support in transition.

·       Make more easy read health information and films.

·       Make sure that more people with learning disabilities get annual health checks and health action plans.

How we will know if we are getting it right

·       It will be easier to find accessible information

about health and wellbeing services. 

·       People will be supported to learn about healthy lifestyles and activities.

·       Doctors and other professionals will understand more about people with learning disabilities.

·       People will know who to contact when they have a problem.

·       People will get letters and health information in easy read.

·       More people will get Annual Health Checks.

What people told us

Activities work and learning

·       Having a job, volunteering and learning make people feel good.

·       People say they do not have the right support to help them get jobs or volunteer.

·       Things go wrong when workplaces and colleges do not give enough support.

·       There are less courses and activities when you are over 25.

·       People need support to try new things

They want to go out in the evening and at weekends.

What we will do

·       Work together so there are lots of different sorts of activities in the city.

·       Make sure there are things to do in the evenings and at weekends.

·       Make sure that young people can carry on learning new skills.

·       Support people to learn, work and volunteer.

·       Make work and learning opportunities in the community so that people feel part of things.

·       Work with services so that they support people to go out in the evening and at weekends.

·       Improve transport and travel training so that people can get to activities, work or learning

How we will know if we are getting it right

·       People will tell us there are lots of different activities in the city

·       More people will be working or volunteering

·       People will be working, volunteering and learning in the community

·       People will tell us they have the right support to learn and work

What people told us

Transitions

·       Young people said they do not have enough information about moving on.

·       They said there are not many choices of where to live.

·       People finish college before they feel ready.

·       Young people and their parents said planning needs to start early.

·       Benefits are confusing and difficult for young people and their families.

·       Young people need support with mental health, loneliness and isolation.

·       Planning needs to start sooner for older people so they have the right housing and support.

What we will do

·       Work with young people and their families to plan transition from a young age.

·       Work together to find out what support parents and families need.

·       Understand that people go through changes when they are older too.

Make sure that they have the right support and housing before changes happen.

·       Work with Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services to support young people’s mental health through transition.

·       Support people with learning disabilities who are carers.

·       Support older parents of people with learning disabilities.

How we will know if we are getting it right

·       Early planning will make transitions easier.

·       People will tell us they feel included in transition planning.

·       It is easy to get information, advice and support around transition.

·       There are choices of housing that support people to be independent.

·       There is good information about changes that can happen when you get older. Like dementia.

What people told us

Information and Advice

·       People want information about local activities but it is hard to find.

·       When people have a problem they do not know where to go.

·       The council website is too hard to use and the information is not accessible.

Some people do not use the internet.

·       Important health information and letters are not easy read.

What we will do

·       Make an accessible space on the Council website for information and advice.

·       Collect easy read information about lots of different things and put it on the website.

·       Support services to learn about making easy read information.

·       Work together to support people get training and equipment so that they can go online.

·       Have the ‘What’s Out There’ fair so that people can find out about activities and services in Brighton and Hove.

How we will know if we are getting it right

·       People will tell us it is easier to find clear information.

·       People will find it easier to use the council Learning Disability web page.

·       There will be accessible information about lots of different things.

·       People will be able to find out more about mainstream activities that they can enjoy.