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Family Advisor Service

The Family Advisor Service works with people with a learning disability and their parents/ carers and families to help them achieve the services and support that they are entitled to. This could include benefits, respite care, transport, social and leisure opportunities, transition, moving out of home and finding suitable employment.

We have two family advisors. They support all carers with their dependent children and adults. This includes reviewing the annual care plan, to meet the needs of our clients so they receive appropriate services and support at home and in the local community.

We provide an advocacy service for parents and carers, and also for service users. We can support people through a variety of different situations and life opportunities. We also provide support for parents with a learning disability, by providing an advocacy service throughout various meetings. We can offer information, advice and guidance at any stage of their child’s development.

The family advisor service can also provide support with applying for benefits and with the appeal process if benefits are denied. As well as helping with benefits the service can also help support with applications to the Court Of Protection for Deputyship.

My daughter, Louise is 10 years old and has Down’s syndrome. If it wasn’t for the Family Advisor Service that West Berkshire Mencap provide for me as a mum and carer, my life would be very different to what it is now.

Louise has attended West Berkshire Mencap since she was 6 months old. They have been and still are an extremely valuable asset to my daughter and I, they are always there for advice and no challenge is ever too big or too small for them to undertake.

The Family Advisor Service have helped me to fill out DLA forms, attending annual reviews, hospital meetings and offer useful information and ideas to help Louise become who she is today. A Family Advisor has also helped me access various grants for Louise so that she can have specific equipment that meets her needs which she wouldn’t get without these grants.

I would be lost without them and appreciate all that the Family Advisor Service does as well as the rest of West Berkshire Mencap for my daughter and myself. “
Carol Diplock

My Letter of Wishes

Support with difficult conversations about end of life wishes for adults with a learning disability

West Berkshire Mencap, supported by The Advocacy People and West Berkshire Learning Disability Partnership Board, have identified that speaking to adults with a learning disability can be difficult and distressing and will often be avoided. However, the people we love and support have the right for their wishes to be heard so we are arranging 3 sessions to support parents / carers / support staff with these conversations.