Census 2021
In March, everybody in England and Wales will be asked to take part in Census 2021.
The census is run by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
Everyone will get a letter inviting them to take part in early March.
NEW
National Autistic Society
Information for organisations and people who employ their own personal assistants
Useful resources and guidance
Vaccination resources to help paid supporters prepare
COVID-19 vaccination training for clinicians – from NHS England
Supporting people with everyday technology – resources from Skills for Care
Managing capacity and demand within inpatient and community mental health, learning disability and autism services for all ages – from NHS England and NHS Improvement
Wellbeing resources for registered managers – from Skills for Care
Standard operating procedure: COVID-19 local vaccination services deployment in community settings – from NHS England and NHS Improvement
Resources for paid supporters on the 3 tier rules – from The Access charity
Going to work safely: Easy Read – information on how to travel to work and stay safe from Covid, from Mencap.
Information on the health protection regulations from the 4th November for all kinds of care and support providers – from The Access Charity.
The updated guidance on shielding and people who are clinically vulnerable – from The Access Charity.
Learning Disability and Autism Peer Education Contracts
As we move into a new future after Covid-19, families and carers face new challenges. Health Education England is looking for bids from potential suppliers who can provide rapid training to families, personal assistants and small independent care providers:
Peer Education and Coaching (Autism)
Peer Education and Coaching (Learning Disabilities)
Easy read guide to how the Coronavirus Act might affect your care and support.
Blog about Coronavirus emergency legislation and what it means for the Care Act. The Coronavirus Act has emergency measures & changes to the law including the Care Act & Mental Health Act & measures to allow more staff in health & social care.
Resources for advocacy organisations and those who support self-advocates from Voiceability.
Grab Sheet about trauma from NWTDT and partners.
Guidance for employers and employees specific to Coronavirus, from ACAS.
Resources for organisational members and family members who are carers or who help manage a family member’s Personal Budget. From NCVO.
Emergency fund to help support workers, including Personal Assistants, who need to take time off work due to Covid 19. From the Care Workers Charity (CWC).
Page for people and families to help share useful links, practical tips and ideas, including information about what people who manage their direct payments have put in place for themselves and their PA’s. From BeHuman.
ADASS has published the second of two reports on Social Service Directors feedback of the ‘terrible impact’ of the Covid-19 pandemic for those of us who need social care, our family carers and those organisations providing these crucial services. Find out more and read the report here.
TLAP have published Stories of Promise – a collection of stories that show the many positive and creative responses of communities, provider organisations and councils to the pandemic.
Paradigm have launched their report “Don’t ever call us ‘unskilled’ again!” It is about the experiences, stories and ideas from support workers during the pandemic.
Resource archive
The Coronavirus situation keeps changing all the time. On this page you will find older resources which are now out of date. But you might still find them useful.
Guide for families from the Learning Disability Professional Senate and a guide for Self-advocates – easy read
Easy read and children’s resources from Inclusive Communication Essex (ICE).
Information to help organisations and workers think about helping people keep safe whilst at home more. From Respond.
Covid grant pot funding easy read
Staying happy and healthy: Things you can do to support your mental health while you have to stay at home. Booklet from The Foundation for People with Learning Disabilities.
Workbook and Coping Calendar (via Twitter only) from Dorset People First.
Changes to the Care Act during Coronavirus
The government have made a new law called the Coronavirus Law.
It has changed some things to help the country and services cope whilst Coronavirus is widespread
One of the things it changes is how Councils use parts of the Care Act.
This is the law that says how Councils make decisions on what support disabled or older people get. There is an Easy Read version of the Care the government made here
The Care Act is still the law and all the law should be followed until a Council says it needs to change because of Coronavirus. Until your Council explains why it is changing it should be still following the all of Care Act.
The changes under the Coronavirus law will mean that Councils can stop following some of the rules in the Care Act in the next 2 years. This will happen when the Director of Social Services and the Principal Social Worker do some things to say they need to change the rules whilst Coronavirus is here.
When the Council makes the change they must tell all the people getting support and support providers in their area. This need to be accessible information.
Even when these changes are made there are still a lot of rules and laws Councils must follow. These include following everyone’s Human Rights
Dorset Advocacy Advocacy have made an Easy Read Booklet on these changes.
The full guidance on these rules is on the government website here
Shared Lives Plus has done a guide on what the changes mean that is for Shared Lives Carers but has useful information for other people on the Act too. The guide is on their website here
Carers UK have done a guide on what the changes means for carers and local carers organisations. You can see the guide on their website
Accessible Information Campaign
The Accessible Information Campaign is a campaign to make information more accessible for everyone.
They want to press the government to act on its promises about making information accessible.
It is led by self advocate campaigners.
They are worried because there has not been enough accessible information shared by the government, especially during the Covid 19 outbreak.
A lot of the accessible information during COVID19 has come from self advocacy and community groups. They have done a great job.
But it is not their responsibility to do it.
And groups often do not have the resources to do this.
The campaign thinks that the government should know this and take responsibility for accessible information.
Learning Disability England is supporting the campaign.
We believe accessible information can help everyone, not just disabled people.
We need a “Marcus Rashford” moment for social care
Guest blog from Lisa Hopkins, Chief Executive of SeeAbility
Looking after your mental and physical well-being – includes coping with death
NHS ‘Every Mind Matters’ resources – simple practical tips and videos from experts on dealing with COVID-19, stress and anxiety, boosting your mood, sleeping better and what you can do to help others.
How to look after yourself at home if you have coronavirus – NHS guidance
Easy read using an oxygen meter (oximeter) – from Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust
Epilepsy and Covid-19 – information, tips for coping and available health services from Epilepsy Action.
Bereavement Mini Set from Books Beyond Words – A collection of four books which cover bereavement and death.
When Someone Dies from Coronavirus – A guide for family and carers– from Beyond Words
Good days and bad days during lockdown wordless story – from Beyond Words
Having a Flu Jab – wordless story from Beyond Words – a story about what happens when you have the jab.
Easy read guide on looking after your feelings and your body from Public Health England.
Coping with feelings on anxiety by Respond – aims to help families to cope with their own feelings of anxiety at this time.
Series of videos about keeping well from Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust:
Anxiety and the body
Five things to do when feeling anxious
Five seconds breathing exercise
Balloon breathing exercise
Breathing exercise using your imagination
Explaining mindfulness and the 5 things exercise
My relaxing place exercise
Keeping well tips from Inclusion North
Series of booklets about how to help yourself to stay fit and well during Coronavirus, from the Scottish Commission for Learning Disability. Easy read.
Poster with some tips for good mental health from Dorset People First. Easy read.
Stay Inside, Be Inspired, a series of resources from United Response to help people with learning disabilities to stay active and create structure during lockdown and beyond.
Bild is now offering a free Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) helpline to support families and carers of people with learning disabilities, mental health issues or autistic people with the challenges of living with Covid-19 restrictions.
Every Mind Matters resources from the NHS encouraging everyone to take steps to look after their mental health during this difficult time. The resources include tips and a free Mind Plan.
The Peaceful Minds project is working to support people with learning disabilities and autistic people who also have mental health conditions and anxieties. This is a co-produced project between Speakup Self Advocacy and Rotherham Advocacy Partnerships.
Stop and Watch tools to help spot the warning signs that a person’s condition is deteriorating. From NHS North Cumbria.
Grab Sheet about trauma from NWTDT and partners.
National Voices, Traverse and Healthwatch England carried out a research study called ‘The Dr will Zoom you now’. It looks at people’s experiences of remote and virtual consultations.
Five videos about breathing for people with #posturalcare needs at home, from Simple Stuff Works:
Video 1: the link between sitting and lying
Video 2: the impact of a reduced range of movement
Video 3: the impact of long term tummy lying
Video 4: what does supported lying look like
Video 5: what IS windsweeping anyway