ECHO Supported Living Services is opening a new support service in Walsall to enable local people in long-term hospital placements to return to living in their own community.
The six houses, owned by a local housing association, are being adapted to meet the needs of each service user. They will have the opportunity to furnish and decorate their homes as they wish.
Individuals, who may have a severe learning disability, autism or complex behaviours will be supported to lead as independent a life as possible and to be an active part of their local communities. The project will create up to 60 jobs for local people.
Staff will be trained in Positive Behaviour Support and have the necessary skills to understand and minimise complex behaviours to support each person in their own home.
ECHO support staff are committed to working with service users, and their families to develop personalised support plans based on goals, aspirations, priorities, and skills and encompassing all aspects of daily living including:
- Personal Care
- Managing finance
- Finding education/work
- Developing new skills
- Local networking/socialisation
- Shopping
- Looking after the home
- Maintaining contact with family and friends
Sharena Record, ECHO Supported Living Services Regional Operations Director for The Midlands and Registered Manager for the service, said: “This new service delivers the Transforming Care Agenda, to enable people from the Black Country who have been in hospital for a long time to return to their local community.
“Local commissioners have worked with us to develop a service that meets their needs and those of service users who will receive the support they need to lead fulfilling lives, with as much independence as possible.
“We will work with them, their families and advocates to ensure they have choices in all aspects of their daily lives by developing an individual plan, agreed by the service user and other important people involved in their lives.
“Opportunities will be available for local people to work within the service and we make it a priority to provide comprehensive training to ensure all staff have the necessary skills to provide truly person-centred care.”
