Sharing Information and Voicing Concerns.

As a parent, inevitably we have doubts, concerns and opinions about the welfare and support of our children. It is crucial to also understand that as a parent of a child with learning disabilities you are not alone in this; there are others who also have those same concerns and views and are currently going through the same experiences who can help you. It is through talking with other parents, engaging with local support groups and sharing your experiences together that will make the path easier to travel. By talking we open up channels to discuss options openly, find out more about what is expected of us and what we can also expect to come across.

As parents we hold the power to shape our children’s’ futures and it is our actions today that can affect their life tomorrow. Ann and I have been members of the support organisation Rescare for many years, since Laura our daughter was young. Rescare is a voluntary organisation run ‘by families for families’ and aims to support and promote the views and concerns of their members by making representation to local and central government in the form of campaigns and petitions. On its’ inception, Rescare campaigned for the conversion of redundant mental hospitals into residential communities. Over the years the focus of their campaign became further changes in the law and they contributed to the government’s consultation process which led to the White Paper ‘Valuing People’ published in 2001 and also ‘civil rights, independence, choice and inclusion’, which was the first White Paper on learning disabilities for 30 years. Rescare was also consulted during the drafting of the Mental Capacity Act 2005, which has major implications for persons with learning disabilities and how decisions affecting them should be made.

Their main objectives are to promote the relief and welfare of children and adults with learning disabilities and their families, as well as to support the rights of parents and carers and to campaign for adequate provision in terms of social care, health care, housing, educations and choice in provision. This society represents hundreds of families and friends across the UK to fight for changes which affect the whole social care system, and it is through supporting this and voicing our opinions that we can make a difference.

The importance of allowing parents the freedom and opportunity to talk openly and freely about their concerns and experiences is paramount. It allows us to be able to speak up for our children and the systems in place for their welfare to ensure their best interests are maintained throughout. At Home From Home Care, we have always shared this philosophy; the best interests of the individuals we support must come first and this can only be achieved by listening to them and placing the support around their needs instead of trying to fit them into a structure. The integrity of the support is based on this philosophy, and organisations like Rescare make it possible for our views as parents to be presented to government.

As well as through the medium of our Created by Parents blog, Ann and I travel across the country to share our story and experiences with other parents currently looking at future options for their children. It is by sharing knowledge amongst the communities of families with children or adults with learning disabilities that we can find out more about what is available and fight harder for the support our loved ones deserve. By voicing our concerns we are able to build a stance to fight for better, and organisations like Rescare play a vital part in the process. Please do take a moment to go onto their website to find out more and you may wish to sign up as a member. www.rescare.org.uk