West Berkshire Mencap: General Family Advice/Support/Advocacy

Last updated: 04/12/2023

The family advisory service provides support and advice to individuals with a learning disability and their families.

This can be in the following ways:

Offering information, advice, guidance, benefits support, helping to fill in forms, support at meetings / appointments and advocacy.

The family advisory service also helps parents and carers with child protection proceedings.

All sessions within the family advisory service are 1:1, however occasionally they can hold small group sessions if required.

Another part of the service is holding information / talks from professionals for the parents / carers to attend.

Who to contact

Contact Name
Caroline Austin
Contact Position
Head of Family Advisor Service
Telephone
01635 41464
E-mail
caz.austin@wbmencap.org
Website
West Berkshire Mencap: General Family Advise/Support

Where to go

Name
The Mencap Centre
Address
Enborne Gate
Enborne Road
Newbury
Berkshire
Postcode
RG14 6AT
Notes

Our service is fully accessible for people with disabilities.  Changing room with tracking hoist, sensory room with tracking hoist.

Time / Date Details

When is it on
Monday to Friday 9.00am to 3pm
Time of day
Afternoon
Morning
Session Information
Meetings can be arranged outside these times by prior arrangement.

Other Details

Availability

Age Ranges
Referral required
Yes
Referral Details

Professionals can refer a family or the family / person themselves can self-refer to the service.  A family advisor will then arrange to visit and discuss which piece of work they would like help / advice with.

Inclusion Information

Dietary Needs

Has Provision
No

Local Offer

Description

The family advisory service provides support and advice to individuals with a learning disability and their families.

This can come in the following:

Offering information, advice, guidance, benefits work, helping to fill in forms, support at meetings / appointments and advocacy.

The family advisory service also helps parents and carers with  child protection proceedings.

All sessions within the family advisory service are 1:1, however occasionally they can hold small group sessions if required.

Another part of the service is holding information / talks from professionals for the parents / carers to attend.

Contact Name
Caroline Austin
Contact Telephone
01635 41464
Contact Email
caz.austin@wbmencap.org
SEN Provision Type
Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties, Medical, Specific Literacy Difficulties, Speech & Language Difficulties, Behavioural, Emotional & Social Difficulties, Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Physical Disability, Hearing Impairment, Moderate Learning Difficulties, Severe Learning Difficulties, Visual Impairment
Local Offer Age Bands
0 to 1
1 to 4
5 to 7
7 to 11
12 to 14
15 to 16
16 to 18
19 plus
Needs Level
Medium

General Provider

Is your service accessible? (consider in general terms how you make your service accessible, in addition to any specific premises issues)

Our Mencap Centre is fully accessible for anyone to attend meetings, however most family advisor work takes place within the home or other premises.

What are the eligibility criteria for your service? (please include any age restrictions, types of need catered for etc)

Anyone with a learning disability or a family member with learning disability / mental health.

How are referrals/applications made to your service? (include details of who can refer/apply and referral and application process)

Professionals can refer a family or the family / person themselves can self-refer to the service. A family advisor will then arrange to visit and discuss which piece of work they would like help / advice with.  The referrals can be received via phone or e-mail.

What is your service standard for responding to referrals/accessing services? (include timescales for responding to referrals and accessing services)

We aim to respond and arrange a home visit within three weeks of receiving a referral, unless it is urgent.

Who provides / funds your service?
Local Authority
Are children, young people, parents / carers charged for your service?
No
Feedback and complaints procedure

The service conducts an annual customer satisfaction survey which provides an opportunity to provide feedback and comments on the service. Complaints will be dealt with by the manager in a timely way. However, we are keen to ensure that any issues are addressed by ourselves at the earliest opportunity and complaints and compliments should be addressed in the first instance to the manager of the service verbally or by phone / email as follows: Name Telephone Email Should the complaint relate to the manager of the service (or dissatisfaction with the way an existing complaint has been handled) then complaints should be addressed to the Acting CEO as follows: Tony Ferguson / Jane Hall 01635 41464 tony.ferguson@wbmencap.org  or jane.hall@wbmencap.org - West Berkshire Mencap The Mencap Centre Enborne Gate Enborne Road Newbury Berkshire RG14 6AT

How will I know my child will be safe using this service?

Family advisors is a general service accessed by parents / carers / older clients with a learning disability, however all family advisors have a DBS and appropriate qualifications.

Quality checks

  • DBS check

West Berkshire Council do not promote or endorse any of the services listed in this Directory. For more information on this please read our disclaimer.

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