L’Arche UK has a Good Practice Forum. Its job is to think about how we support people with learning disabilities in the best way. It helps us to share good practice. It also helps us to tell other people about what we do.
The group looks at things that have a direct impact on the lives of people with learning disabilities. It looks at everything from their perspective. The Group hopes to be a resource for the Communities. It researches and brings together examples of good practice in the area of learning disability. It feeds its thinking into the Community and UK structures.
There is always a person with learning disabilities on the group. We consult all the people with learning disabilities in L’Arche. We do this with questionnaires and through the Community listening groups. Other members of the Good Practice Forum have a vision for the place of people with learning disabilities in L’Arche. They are passionate about giving them the power to take control of their own lives. They make sure our discussions are put into action when they return to their Communities.
Some areas that the Good Practice Forum has worked on are:
- Research on how to involve people with learning disabilities in the decisions their Community makes
- Guidelines on how people with learning disabilities are involved in recruiting Assistants and appointing leaders
- Developing skills to produce accessible information
- Training in person-centred planning
- Guidelines on how to support people in acute care
Future agendas include:
- Capacity to consent
- Involving people in interviews
- Choosing who I live with - accessible placement procedures