WITH some of the highest demands for learning disability support in England, Wokingham Borough Council has announced a multi-million-pound strategy for meeting these needs.
The council’s learning disability strategy was approved after consultation with the Wokingham Learning Disability Partnership Board (LDPB), local charity CLASP and over 150 support groups.
Currently, the borough council provides more than 500 care packages to vulnerable adults with learning disabilities.
Over the last four years, there has been a 10% increase in demand for this support. This compares to a 6% increase in the South-East.
The borough council hopes the new strategy will meet the future needs and expectations of people with learning disabilities.
Cllr Charles Margetts, exec member for health, wellbeing and adult services said: “Wokingham Borough has the second-highest learning disabled population needing support in the South-East.
“With this in mind, it is not surprising that we spend a significant proportion of our funding on supporting and caring for people with a learning disability.
“Our strategy sets out what the council proposes to do to meet this need and its approach to addressing increased pressure on its finite resources.
“We thank all our local charities and volunteer groups for their support in shaping our strategy. We value all the feedback we have received and want to ensure that all our residents feel valued and supported.”
The LDPB is made up of people with learning disabilities and their families, health care and social care professionals and representatives from local charities.
The board provides both emotional and practical support for people within the borough with learning disabilities.
The LDPB is supported by the council and has provided them with feedback to ensure the new strategy allows residents to feel supported and part of the communities in which they live.
Cllr Margetts added: “We are proud of our successful record of helping our adults with learning disabilities into paid employment, allowing them to feel more past of the community.
“We are currently second out of 150 local authorities in the country and we hope through the ambitious plans we have set out within our strategy — together with a new dedicated Learning Disabilities team within the Adult Social Care department — we will continue to support our residents to allow them to choose the way they wish to live their lives.”
