Charity (no. 313069)
Hft - Family Carer Support Service
"We support family carers of adults with learning disabilities, autism or both"
The Family Carer Support Service is part of Hft, a national charity supporting adults with learning disabilities, autism or both.
A family carer is someone who has a lifelong relationship with a person who has a learning disability – usually a family member or close friend. They have an active interest in the wellbeing of that individual, wherever they live.
At FCSS, we support family carers to understand and exercise their rights, and to navigate statutory services including social care, health and welfare. We offer information and support on a wide range of topics, including but not limited to; how to get a break from caring, how to plan for the future and how to prepare for an upcoming assessment or review with your local authority. If we aren’t the right charity to support you, we will signpost you to other useful organisations.
If you have a relative or friend with a learning disability and would like support and information, Hft’s free national Family Carer Support Service can help.
You can contact us on 0808 801 0448. Our Freephone number is answered Monday to Thursday from 9am to 4pm. If you want to call outside of those hours, or if we’re busy with someone else when you call, please do leave us a voicemail – we’ll call you back within seven working days. You can also email us on [email protected] if that is easier for you.
Help us give adults with learning disabilities the chance to live with more independence and choice by doing something amazing – volunteer at Hft.
By volunteering with Hft, you’ll be doing something special: helping people with learning disabilities to take control of their lives and live the best life possible.
Our volunteers tell us they’ve gained confidence, skills, and new friendships through their experience and made a real difference to lives of those we support.
There are lots of reasons to volunteer and we will support you with your own goals whether they are:
People with learning disabilities can sometimes display unpredictable behaviour, or behaviour that can be challenging to support. Often this is down to a communication breakdown, whereby the person displaying challenging behaviour wants or feels they need something, but this is not being recognised by those around them. Sometimes it’s a way of expressing control. Either way, you will need to work to understand the underlying causes of the behaviour, so you can better support the person you are mentoring.
Sign up to receive newsletter updates about news and legislation affecting family carers, as well as the work of the FCSS team. Simply complete the registration form and either email or post a signed copy back to us. Alternatively, you can email us with your name and contact details, letting us know you would like to be added to our mailing list.
Explore our resources and guidance to find answers to common questions that people ask about learning disabilities, social care support, and legislation.
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