Information on national laws and plans in Surrey for people with a learning disability and/or autism.
Your legal rights - Surrey Partnership Boards
Learn about your human rights and how they keep you safe.
The Care Act 2014 changed some of the laws about adult social care.
Everyone in the UK has the same rights and freedoms. These are called human rights. The Equality and Human Rights Commission website has more information about human rights and how they protect us.
The law says that reasonable adjustments must be made for people with disabilities or health conditions, including mental health.
The government's website has information about reasonable adjustments at work. Reasonable adjustments must also be made in healthcare. Visit the NHS website to find out what reasonable adjustments can be made.
Information for carers - Surrey Partnership Boards
A family carer is usually, but not always, a parent who looks after their son or daughter with a learning disability at home. Family carers are not paid staff.
Many people with learning disabilities live with their families and get most of the support they need from them. We must remember that people with a learning disability can also be carers, looking after a friend or relative who needs support to be independent.
Short breaks from caring give families a chance to re-charge. Surrey County Council has information and useful links about short breaks for carers.
The Surrey Heartlands provider collaborative combines three acute hospital trusts and mental health providers working together to improve health outcomes for the population
Mencap is an organisation for people with a learning disability which provides support for their families and carers, too.
Carers UK helps people to look after friends or family members. It supports those new to caring, or people that need extra support to cope with the pressures of caring.
Action for Carers Surrey raises awareness of carers' needs and works with health and social care teams to support carers.
Mental Capacity Act
Some people need help to make decisions about their lives or they might lack capacity to make decisions.
Lack capacity means they are not able to make a decision about their lives at a time when the decision needs to be made.
The Mental Capacity Act is a law in England and Wales that says how people who are 16 years old or more can make decisions about their lives and how decisions can be made for people who lack capacity.
The Act says people must be given the chance to make their own decisions if they can.
The Act want to empower and protect people who might lack capacity. Empower means give people the right help so they can make good decisions about their lives.
There is easy read formation about the Mental Capacity Act, and it is important that everyone understand this.
Family carers
It is important for families to understand that making decisions is different when their child is 16 or over. Mencap have made a resource pack for family carers of people with a learning disability to help understand the differences.
