Learning disabilities
We start with what you enjoy, what you can do for yourself and where you would like help. Together, we explore a home and support that fit the way you want to live.
Start with the person
People need different kinds of support. Your assessment is a conversation about your strengths, communication, daily routines and the help you need. Family members, an advocate or someone you trust can be involved.
Progress can mean maintaining stability as well as learning something new.
A learning disability can affect how someone understands information and learns everyday skills. The help a person needs varies. We begin with their own way of communicating, what they enjoy and the support that makes a difference in daily life.
SLS supports adults aged 18 and over. Tell us about personal care, physical health, mobility, sensory needs and any other support you require. Suitability depends on the individual home and agreed package, not the learning disability label alone.
Everyday support
These are the areas to explore with us. The specific help, adjustments and staff arrangements are agreed through assessment and your support plan.
The conversation starts with what helps you understand your options. You may want a shorter explanation, a picture, a demonstration or time to think. We discuss the approach that works for you and record it in the plan.
Communication includes more than speaking. Tell us how you show agreement, uncertainty, discomfort or enjoyment, and whether you use communication aids. Any specific staff skills, equipment or professional advice needed should be established during assessment.
Practical support can help you take part in the tasks involved in having a home. The aim is to identify what you want to do yourself and the parts where someone should help, with enough time to practise.
Tell us about the help you need with personal care, appointments or medication. Privacy, preferences and the way care is offered matter. The assessment confirms whether the service, staff arrangements and any specialist input can meet those needs.
You may want help understanding bills, managing a weekly budget or knowing who to contact about a repair. We discuss how you can remain involved and which responsibilities belong to you or to someone formally supporting your finances.
Your home should leave room for your interests and relationships. Support can focus on a familiar activity, trying something new or maintaining contact with people you choose. Learning, volunteering and work can be explored where they match your goals.
The right setting
Look beyond the room itself. Think about how you would spend your day, who you might share space with and how you would get support. A visit can help turn an unfamiliar idea into something easier to understand.
Compare homes and locationsExplore homes described as self-contained in the directory. Confirm the exact facilities, access and support arrangement for the property you are considering.
Other homes offer bedrooms or accommodation with some shared facilities. Ask which spaces are private, what is shared and how everyday arrangements work.
Floating support offers planned visits in East and South London. Discuss local coverage, visit arrangements and whether the service can meet your assessed needs.
Explore floating supportThe directory shows the location and accommodation at each home. Tell referrals about your support and environment preferences so the team can identify which services may be relevant.
Referral and assessment
Assessment should give the person a meaningful way to contribute. We ask about strengths and support needs, and discuss who can help provide a full picture. The referring team can arrange the appropriate sharing of existing care and communication plans.
Start with a brief enquiry. Keep clinical reports, detailed risk information and identity documents for the secure sharing arrangements explained by the referrals team.
Information for professionalsA transition is planned around the person, suitable availability and the arrangements agreed with everyone involved.
Discuss what a new home would mean in the person’s preferred way. Identify questions, worries and any information or preparation that would help.
Where a potentially suitable home is available, arrange a visit with someone the person trusts. Talk about further introductions if they would help and can be arranged.
Agree which belongings, activities, communication methods and daily routines should be carried into the new setting. Clarify the help needed for the first days.
Plan a review that lets the person show or explain how they feel. Include the supporters they want involved and adjust arrangements where needed.
A plan you understand
Your housing agreement and care or support plan cover different things. Before a placement begins, you should understand the help included, who provides it and how it will be paid for.
An example to discuss
“I want to help make my evening meal.”
Families and familiar supporters often know the small details that help someone feel understood. Their contribution should support the adult’s own choices and communication, with clear arrangements about involvement and sharing information.
Progress is personal. It may be taking part in a task, making a choice more confidently or keeping a valued routine. Reviews should be understandable to the person and include their own experience.
Your questions
No. The purpose of assessment is to understand which tasks the person manages and what assistance they need. A placement can only be agreed where the proposed service and funded support package can meet those needs. It is useful to describe a typical day, including the tasks that need more time or help.
Yes. A family member, advocate or professional can help start the conversation. Tell us how the person communicates and what adjustments or aids they use. The assessment must establish how they can take part and whether the proposed team has the skills and arrangements required.
Yes, family involvement can be discussed as part of planning. Agree the contact arrangements, the updates that would be useful and who the person wants involved in reviews. Information sharing takes account of the adult’s wishes and the applicable decision-making and safeguarding arrangements.
The exact care included depends on the assessed needs and agreed package. Explain any help required with washing, dressing, eating, mobility, medication or healthcare. The assessment identifies who would provide each element, their relevant competence and how any specialist input would be arranged.
Include this in the referral, together with communication needs, sensory preferences and any current specialist support plans. We consider the person’s needs together. Specific approaches or specialist staff training must be confirmed for the proposed service; they are not assumed to be available at every home.
The directory shows locations, accommodation and resident groups. It does not assign a learning disability support profile to every home. Share the person’s needs and preferences with referrals so the team can identify potentially suitable services and confirm their current support arrangements.
Yes. An initial enquiry can help you understand what information will be needed. Let the team know the expected timescale and whether a council, NHS team or other funding contact is involved. A placement and start date require suitability, availability and funding arrangements to be confirmed.
The whole person
You do not need to fit into one category. These pages may also be helpful.
Explore independent information from the NHS and NICE.
A conversation is a good place to start
Tell us what matters to you, where you would like to live and the support you need.
Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm
Send a brief enquiry first. We’ll explain how to share any supporting documents.