Orchard House, supported living scheme, aims to provide a homely, safe and supported environment for 10 adults with a learning disability. The service seeks to enable people to achieve autonomy and choice in the support they receive and the lives that they pursue.
Support staff promote the development of each individuals life skills and their inclusion within the local community, including the use of appropriate leisure and recreation activities, within a person centred framework and which recognises and promotes a persons spiritual and cultural needs.
Staffing resources are used to ensure a high quality of support is maintained which affords continuity and accountability for all work practices.
The facility has been designed to enable the tenants to reach their potential in living independently. Tenants are encouraged to participate in domestic, catering and laundry tasks with staff support and assistance.
Contacts
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Description of services/opportunities provided
Range of services provided are;
- Assistance with personal care as per the individual’s assessed need.
- Support to maintain and enhance an individual’s life skills through setting agreed and realistic goals
- Support with domestic tasks and food preparation/cooking
- Assistance with managing money and dealing with correspondence
- Assistance with medication
- Support to maintain tenancy re; completing forms / liaising with DHSS/ Housing executive/ housing landlord and Trust
- Advising individuals about safety and security in the community and their own home
- Support with community integration and accessing local services
- Support with neighbour disputes
- Support to attend appointments
Our key objectives are designed to: –
- Engage in regular community experiences by being supported to use local resources.
- Experience maximum choice and participation in their support arrangements by being involved in developing their support plans.
- Receive individually tailored support programmes to enable individuals to achieve maximum control of all aspects of their lives by assessing and planning their support needs with relevant others.
- Promotion of a person centred approach.
- Regular consultation with tenants on the everyday service.
- Enjoy a greater circle of informal support in their lives. This is achieved with greater participation in the community.
- Maintain and promote individuals’ independence in all areas of their lives, in accordance with their assess needs.
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Routes to access the service
Following an assessment of need, where alternative accommodation is required the case manager in consultation with the service-user, their carers and the multi-disciplinary team present their case to the Accommodation Panel. The aim is to ensure that the service-user’s needs are prioritised. When an appropriate vacancy within a supported living scheme becomes available and is offered to the service-user the case manager will support in their move to their new home.
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Referral criteria
The service-users’ needs to have a confirmed learning disability and be an open case to the Community Learning Disability Team, Southern Health & Social Care Trust;
Based on the service-user’s assessment of need, there is evidence of care/support needs, and their needs can be met within a supported living scheme;
Our supported living scheme cater for a wide range of care/support needs so it is important that the appropriate scheme is identified to meet the individual needs of the service-user;
The service-user must be actively involved in the process and be happy with their new accommodation;
The service-user must be eligible for housing benefit of if not agree to pay full-costs;
The service-user/appointee must agree to pay the costs associated with a tenant living in the scheme.
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Advocacy services & contacts
Independent Advocacy are regularly involved with Tenant’s.
Sinéad Campbell
Advocacy Team Leader
Disability Action