Our Services
The Adult Contact Team (ACT) is made up of a range of different professionals. Each committed to helping people as much as possible to meet their social care needs.
The team’s main functions are:
- responding to requests for assessments of need
- enquiries about safeguarding issues
- advice and information about services
- responding to urgent crisis situations
The team also handle short term casework. This can provide short term social work for up to 16 weeks for adults with complex needs.
The team work with service users and their families. They also work with carers and relevant professionals.
Find out more about Holicote [external link]
The Adult Learning Disability Team works with Adults, who have a learning disability, and their carers. We undertake Care Act Assessments, Reviews, reassessments and support plans for individuals with eligible Social Care Needs. The team also work alongside children’s Social Workers to support transition for young people (see support for becoming an adult) with a learning disability.
The Team consists of Social Workers, a reviewing officer, a care coordinator, Senior Practitioner and a Team Manager who work closely with the Community Adult Learning Disability Health Team.
The Team use strength based, person centred approaches to maximise the skills, abilities and independence of the person in line with the Care Act 2014. We will work with carers to support them to sustain their caring role.
This team supports adults with a learning disability and/or autism, and their carers, to achieve their individually identified outcomes throughout their adult life.
The team works closely with children’s social work teams and Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) to ensure that young people, and their families, are supported to prepare well for transition to adulthood.
The mental health social work teams are a team of social workers and support workers who are based at West Park Hospital and work closely with the Community Psychiatric Nurse (CPN) teams. The aim of the team is to provide ongoing social care support for needs resulting from an individual’s mental health and to support individuals to manage their mental health as independently as possible. We will complete Care Act assessments, support plans and reassessments for people who have eligible social care needs that relate to their mental health symptoms.
We work with people that are transitioning to Adult Services, working age adults and older people and support them to maximise their independence and remain in their own homes as much as possible. Allocated workers work closely with; forensic and police services to support effective risk management and the Mental Health team also support individuals with complex social care needs related to their mental health illness, this includes anyone with a diagnosis of dementia.
The team work with individuals over 18 years who have Care Act eligible needs due to a physical, sensory, or cognitive impairment and who have an ongoing funded service. This includes individuals living in the community and those in residential or nursing placements or supported accommodation.
The aim of the team is to provide ongoing assessment, support planning, interventions, and scheduled review for individuals who have a primary need relating to their physical.
OAIT supports longer term casework including assessments, re-assessments, scheduled reviews and safeguarding for people with ongoing support, for individuals who have eligible care and support needs. OAIT also supports carers to sustain their carer’s role.
Casework includes;
- responding to Legal Challenge
- enabling people to access Independent Advocacy commissioned by DBC with Darlington Association on Disability (DAD)
- working with Legal Teams on areas such as section 21a appeals and deputyship applications.
The Occupational Therapy (OT) team aims to maximise an individual’s independence. They ensure living environments are fit for purpose for current and future needs through disabled Adaptation Grants to support people to remain at home where appropriate.
The primary purpose of the OT team is to enable people to participate in the activities of everyday life by assessing their functional ability. Where individuals have difficulties with functional tasks, OT’s provide equipment and adaptations to maximise independence and observe opportunities to prevent, reduce, and delay the need for ongoing support.
The team also co-ordinates assessment and rehabilitation for individuals with a hearing or visual impairment or dual sensory loss. Both Occupational Therapy and Sensory Impairment teams support both Children and Adults with long term physical or sensory assessment and interventions.
In addition to the above Adult Social Care services, people may also need adaptations, equipment or Assistive Technology to their homes in order for them to continue / return to live in their own home i.e. after a deterioration in their health or a short stay in a residential care home or hospital.
We are located with our health colleagues. Our team consists of;
- social workers
- occupational therapists
- community assessment officers
- reablement coordinators
- support workers.
The team works with individuals over 18 years old who have experienced a period of acute illness or injury. We support individuals who are in the community or medically optimised and ready to be discharged from hospital.
The aim of the service is to support individuals to build their confidence and regain previous levels of independence. We do this by undertaking functional assessments to support individuals to identify their own goals. From this we identify what support could be put in place through use of assistive technology, equipment, and formal support.
During this process we undertake regular reviews and end the service when individuals return to previous level of independence. For those individuals who do require ongoing support further assessments are completed with individuals to determine longer term planning.
The reablement service is a short term goal focused service that runs for up to 6 weeks.
It assists people who have suffered a deterioration in physical health.
It develops participants confidence and practical skills to help further independence.
Reablement values
Fundamental to the aim of this service is helping people to support themselves.
Rather than having things done for them, reablement aims to help people do things themselves.
Reablement requires a shift in mind set and approach to ensure people:
- maximise their independence
- appropriately minimise their need for ongoing care or support
- explore how best to support any underlying needs
Most people want to regain and keep their maximum level of independence for as long as possible.
Reablement can result in significant benefits for most people who undertake a phase of support.
Reablement supports people to establish or re-establish their ability to live in the community in a sustainable way.
The Reablement Service is provided by our RIACT team.
You can find more information here.
The aim of the team is to safeguard adults who may be vulnerable to; abuse, neglect and/or exploitation. Initial information gathering and triage decision making identifies if the safeguarding concern meets the threshold to progress to Section 42 safeguarding enquiries and investigation. The allocated officer will undertake relevant meetings as set out in DBC multi-agency safeguarding procedures.
The team supports people in making decisions around important things in their lives, whether that is where to live, what community resources are available or how best to meet their needs in a way that decreases distress and risk. To do this, we all need to balance our needs and risks in the context of our overall wellbeing; what makes us happy, what are our strengths, what do we need from others, what do we value, what is important to us and what makes us feel safe.
If an individual has needs for care and support, and their needs impact on their ability to promote their safety, and they are at risk of or experiencing abuse or neglect, then the council has a duty to put steps in place to support that person to feel safe. This may mean supporting them to contact the police, looking at their existing care and support and determining if this needs to be changed or adjusted, working closely with partners in health and police where appropriate.
Making safeguarding personal is a golden thread running through all the team’s work. It is not simply about getting someone’s consent, although that is important, but also about hearing people’s views about what they want as an outcome.
Darlington Adult Social Care delivers
- 4 day opportunities for adults with learning disabilities
- a respite/short breaks services for adults with learning disabilities, and
- a supported living service.
The Team Manager is registered with CQC providing oversight of the regulated provision respite/short breaks, supported living and the regulated activity of reablement. The CQC Nominated Individual is the Assistant Director for Adult Social care. There are regular monitoring meetings with the Head of Service, Nominated Individual, PSW and the Registered Manager to discuss practice development, learning, regulated activities, near misses and notifiable incidents.
Holicote (respite and supported living) is currently rated as Good within the CQC Inspection ratings.
CQC Inspection Report [external link]
All services work within a strength-based outcome focussed approach with person centred support planning. Co-production with the people using the services is central to any development of services.
Holicote Short Breaks
93 Newton Lane
Darlington
DL3 9HH
TEL: 01325 469707
Contact
Home Manager - Louise Robinson
Registered Manager - Karen Thompson
Holicote is a five bedroom, purpose built bungalow offering Short term/emergency support for adults with learning disabilities. We aim to provide a flexible friendly service for people within Darlington that require a short break.
Here at Holicote a wide range of needs are met, we aim to provide individual Person-Centred Support to all, whilst learning life skills and promoting Independence. Visitors are supported by our dedicated highly skilled staff team with all aspects of daily living, social outings and various activities.
The service has been developed and designed in line with the principles and values that underpin Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. This ensures that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes. The principles reflect the need for people with learning disabilities and/or autism to live meaningful lives that include control, choice, and independence.
People using the service receive planned and co-ordinated person-centred support that is appropriate and inclusive for them.
Supported Living
Contact – Manager Louise Robinson
We provide a Supported Living Service as part of our In House Home Care. This service provides a small home environment with care and support for 3 individuals whom have a Learning Disability.
We provide daily support to help empower individuals to live and manage their own home as part of being included in their own community and maintaining their independence.
CQC Inspection Report [external link]
Foundations
Gateway Building
Salters Lane North
Darlington
DL1 3DT
01325 244987
email: [email protected]
[email protected]
Foundations is one of our Learning Disability Day Opportunities provisions who offer bespoke Day care and support packages as part of Darlington Borough Council.
‘Foundations wants to be recognized for supporting you as an equal, meeting your needs and ensuring your voice is heard to enable you to live a fulfilled life’.
Foundations was established in 2000. The service has developed to meet the changing needs and aspirations of adults with learning disabilities.
We have a safe, secure and therapeutic environment where we can provide interventions required to maintain health and comfort for the individual. We break down barriers to accessing the community and help individuals to lead meaningful lives.
At the heart of this service is a dedicated and highly skilled staff team who are committed to meeting individual assessed needs and improving the lives of unique people with learning disabilities and profound and multiple disabilities.
Lakeside Lodge
If you would like to visit Lakeside Lodge or find out more information contact details are:
Address:
Lakeside Lodge,
South Park,
Parkside,
Darlington,
DL1 5TB
Telephone number 01325 405575
Opening Hours: Monday - Thursday 8.30am – 4pm
Friday - 8.30am - 3.30pm
Contact names: Mandy Waterson and Sharon Mansfield
Lakeside Lodge is a centre for adults with a learning disability.
Situated in South Park, Darlington, it is part of Darlington Borough Council’s Adult Learning Disability Service.
At Lakeside Lodge a team of caring and motivated staff provide a friendly and supportive environment for adults with learning disability. Staff will support you to carry out activities of your choice, achieve your ambitions and have fun.
We aim to provide a stimulating environment to support people to meet their social care outcomes, including personal and health needs and to achieve their goals. We support people to build confidence, learn new skills and develop and maintain friendships by taking part in activities at Lakeside Lodge and out in the community.
The Links
Outreach Service
83 Brinkburn Road
Darlington
DL3 6DY
01325 468877
[email protected]
[email protected]
The Links is an outreach service based near the Denes area of Darlington. We are committed to supporting adults with learning disabilities to lead fulfilling lives.
Our focus is to improve the skills of each person who attends. Outcomes for individuals are designed by building on aspirations and improving capacity to live independently with less reliance on services.
High on our agenda is active citizenship and we have initiated or become involved with several community based projects in our local area. This has provided the people who attend a range of benefits including better employment prospects, independent living skills and meeting and helping new people.
Community Arts Project
The Links Foundations
Brinkburn Road Salters Lane North
Darlington Darlington
DL3 6DY DL1 3DT
tel 01325 468877 Monday – Wednesday
tel 01325 405505 Thursday and Friday
email [email protected]
The Community Art Project is part of Darlington Borough Council’s in-house day opportunities for Adults with Learning Disabilities.
It is staffed by a Community Art Coordinator and a team of fully trained support workers employed by Darlington Borough Council with enhanced DBS checks.
We currently operate five days a week from 9.am until 3.30 pm.
The Community Art Project provides an opportunity for people with learning disabilities to try out and pursue various visual arts activities with guidance and encouragement from a professional artist.
People normally attend the Community Art Project (CAP) for one full day each week.
The project is open to anyone who has an interest in trying out arts activities even if they have never done so before. It is geared towards each person’s needs and interests and aims to encourage people to make their own choices and decisions, to work at their own pace and the best of their abilities. It is not an art class where people are taught to follow a teacher. The project is run by a Community Art Coordinator whose role is to stimulate, encourage and offer support as well as looking for opportunities to display the artwork in different settings and formats.