Services for people with learning difficulties are patchy, say carers

Services for people with learning difficulties are subject to a
“postcode lottery”, a group of carers said today,
writes Maria Ahmed

Delegates at a learning difficulties conference raised concerns
that the implementation of the Valuing People white paper
remained patchy.

Policies were more likely to be effective in areas where carers
took responsibility to monitor their implementation, said
representatives from the National Family Carer Network at the
Learning Disabilities Today conference in London.

The group said that the quality of service should not depend on
the level of carer involvement.

Carers also highlighted particular problems around getting
services for adults with learning difficulties.

They called for greater support to help them manage the
“complicated transition from children’s to
adult’s services for people with learning
difficulties”.