Kirklees Council to start consultations on specialist learning disability housing
Kirklees Council will undertake a review of its specialist housing for adults with learning disabilities.
What is Supported Living?
Known as Supported Living, these are services where the council provides care services, but the buildings are owned by other organisations.
Councillors have today (26 September) given the go-ahead for consultations to start on three learning disability settings in Kirklees. These include withdrawing from The Mews in Mirfield and a redesign of the service offer at Brighton Court, Heckmondwike and Wilton Terrace, Cleckheaton. All consultations will commence following a 10-day call in period from today’s cabinet meeting.
What happens after consultation?
A report will be presented to cabinet in 2024 for a final decision and if approved, the proposals would allow the council to focus providing care for people with more complex learning disability needs in future years.
How will the changes happen?
Implementation following cabinet would be in two phases starting with the withdrawal from The Mews in 2024/25. Tenants would be re-assessed and supported to transition to alternative accommodation that is suited to their needs.
Phase two would see the review of tenants at Wilton Terrace who would also be reassessed and supported to find suitable accommodation elsewhere. Wilton Terrace would then have capacity to support residents with more complex needs who incur higher costs and are often supported via out of area placements due to a lack of appropriate accommodation options in Kirklees.
Councillor Jackie Ramsay, Cabinet Member for Health and Social Care said:
“We are seeing an increasing demand for adult learning disability services, so we need to refocus our offer on those people who have the most complex needs.”
“By changing the way these services are used, we hope to be able to support people who currently cannot access a local service to do so in the future.
“Existing tenants and families affected by the changes would be fully supported for a safe transition to accommodation that allows them to continue being independent and live well.”