Essex Carers Network on behalf of the East of England Regional Co-production Group is inviting family carers who care for a family member with a learning disability and/or autism from across the Eastern region to take part in one of a number of special online sessions this autumn — and they would really value your voice. Anyone living in Essex and across the Eastern region caring for a family member with a learning disability and or autism of any age is welcome to join and share their experiences. Jo Harrison the chair of the National Network of Parent Carer Forums will be joining the children and young people sessions.
They will be exploring the 3 Big Shifts within the NHS 10-Year Plan:

• Moving from analogue to digital
• Moving from sickness to prevention
• Moving from acute to community

Your lived experience matters. The session will be exploring what is working well, what are the challenges, and what are the opportunities for improvement. Anything you share will help shape future health services across the Eastern region, ensuring they reflect what families actually need. To make it easier for everyone to take part, there are daytime and evening options for family carers of children/young people and adults separately, so you can choose the time that works best for you.

Norfolk County Council is inviting know your thoughts on our proposal to charge for the council’s money management (Appointee) service.

This is a targeted consultation as we particularly want to hear from people who either have experience of the service themselves, or by supporting people who use the service.

For this reason we are contacting people who use of our appointee service or people who support them, care homes, care providers, voluntary organisations and support groups inviting them to let us know their thoughts on our proposal.

Why are we trying to reach as many people as possible?

With the number of people seeking autism and ADHD assessments in the UK increasing, and diagnostic services unable to meet the demand, waiting lists are growing rapidly.

For the assessment crisis to be addressed, we believe the Government must better understand the needs and experiences of people seeking an assessment. To help us inform them, in collaboration with the University of Nottingham and Bournemouth University, and with the help of our Community Network, we’ve designed a national survey.

If you would like Autism Action to contact you further about this piece of work, including the results and next steps, and about further opportunities to get involved, please sign up here.

Do you have lived experience of autism or a learning disability and are interested in paid employment opportunities?

Unique Training Solutions are currently recruiting Experts with Lived Experience to support delivery of Oliver McGowan Training, they are currently hiring in Norfolk and Norwich.

They deliver this training locally within the NHS, Emergency Services, Social Care and Private Health companies.

They are currently recruiting Co Trainers to work alongside our experienced facilitators, sharing their insights, stories, and lived experiences as part of our training delivery.