Developing services for older family carers

Home Farm Trust
HFT Carer Support Service:

HFT is a national organisation providing a range of services for adults with learning disabilities. The charity was established in 1962 by parents wishing to secure satisfactory residential opportunities for their sons and daughters as they left full time education and moved on into adulthood away from the family home. By the early 1990's 1700 families had registered an interest in the provision HFT might be able to offer a learning disabled relative. Aware that HFT would not be able to offer sufficient accommodation to match families' aspirations the Trust sought other ways of assisting them.

Research undertaken by HFT confirmed that parents who have a son or daughter with a learning disability:

• Experience difficulties in obtaining information about the services they need.
• Are frequently unaware of their rights and resources available.
• Are further stressed by the uncertainties they face when considering the future.

HFT's Carer Support Service provides:

Information:

• Regular digests of national carer related news featuring examples of good practice.
• Targeted mailings about local services and events.
• Specific response to individual requests.

Support:

• Through a rolling programme of workshops for parents carers, including transitional planning from children to adult service and supporting older family carers.
• Training events for staff and carers.
• Personal contact by phone or letter.

Networking and service development and research: in partnership with other organisations innovative work in developing ways of effectively and engaging families and adult services.

Contact:

Robina Mallet
Carer Support Officer
The Home Farm Trust
Merchants House
Wapping Road
Bristol BS1 4RW

Tel: 0117 927 3746