Background – why we made this resource
Through our work, the CBF realised that there was a need for additional support for family carers who are worried about who will support their relative with a severe learning disability if they are no longer able to.
There are a large number of people with learning disabilities living with family members and growing older together. Some family members have taken on managing personalised services so that their relative has the bespoke support that they need to live a good life. Although the need to support people with learning disabilities and their families as they grow older has been raised repeatedly over the last few decades, there hasn’t been enough change.
Families we asked told us that they want to start planning for the future, so that they know that the person or people supporting their relative after them has the right information, but that this can be overwhelming and that it is difficult to know where to start. They told us that they don’t want their other children to feel that they have to take on the role of managing support for their siblings with a severe learning disability, but are also worried about what will happen if there is no one there who can take this on.
About the template
A family carer has developed this template to help other family carers pull together all the important information about their relative with a severe learning disability. This template is for a document that can be shared with family members, friends, or with professionals such as social workers, and which contains key information that someone will need in order to support their loved one.
What does the resource include?
The resource includes:
- key details about your relative
- what is important to your relative
- what is important for your relative
- signposting to where other information, including important documentation, can be found
How to use the resource
This template is split into sections, including ‘Money and Benefits’, ‘Care’, and ‘Health’. These sections can be filled out all at once, or in stages, depending on what is easiest for you. When you download the template, you can edit it so that these sections contain your relative’s information.
This template is based on the personal experiences of the family carer who designed it. Not all of this will be relevant to everyone with a learning disability, and there may be some things not currently included that you want to add. The template is a starting point, not an end point – if you need to change things then that is ok!
Click the button below to download the resource ↓
Download the resource as a PDF
Download the resource in Microsoft Word
(Please note, if you have a Microsoft account, this link may open in a web browser – once you’ve opened the link, you’ll need to either click ‘download file’ at the top of your screen, or click the ‘…’ to get the option to download. If that doesn’t work, try opening the link from a different browser such as Google Chrome.)
Support with filling out the template
On both a practical and an emotional level, it can be difficult to start bringing together all of this information.
The CBF Family Support Team are here to help if you need help with filling out the template – whether that is difficulties with accessing the information to include or questions about any of the sections. You can contact Family Support by emailing support@thecbf.org.uk or calling 0300 666 0126 (lines are open 9am-5pm Mon-Thu, and 9am-3pm Fri)
As well as practical support, there is value in doing this alongside other families who are also thinking about the future. Each family’s circumstances will be unique, and priorities will vary, but peer support can help you to make a start. You can do this with people that you know, or if you would be interested in the CBF holding a session online, please email daisy.fry@thecbf.org.uk to let us know and we will be in touch with more information.