Over 2,000 people are using direct payments in Essex, this includes; people with learning difficulties, mental health problems, older people, and people with a physical and/or sensory impairment, carers, and people with parental responsibility for disabled children. Arranging and managing your own care can bring with it choice, flexibility independence and control.

Direct Payments can also be made for the day care or short breaks Chelmsford Mencap offer under our Daybreak Scheme, Daybreak Saturday Club and Adult Adventurers’ Club.

For more information visit: http://www.essexcc.gov.uk/vip8/ecc/ECCWebsite/dis/guc.jsp?channelOid=119375&guideOid=119987&guideContentOid=15175  or would like to know if you may be eligible to receive a direct payment please contact the Essex Contact Centre by calling: 0845 603 7630. 

Tags: Direct Payments

If you are a parent of a child that uses our Daybreak Scheme and or our Daybreak Saturday Club and receive working tax credit you may be able to claim back up to 80% of any respite monies paid to Chelmsford Mencap. To make a claim you will need to quote our relevant OFSTED number’s:

 Daybreak Scheme (Easter & Summer): OFSTED EY281959

Daybreak Saturday Club: OFSTED EY314108

Further information is available on the following web sites:

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/taxcredits/people-advise-others/entitlement-tables/get-started.htm#4

Or telephone Tax Credit Enquiries 8am-8pm, seven days a week on:

0845 300 3909

Tags: working tax credits

Are you concerned about your kids growing up too fast?  Is your child suffering from a sleep disorder?  Getting into fights?  Is your child a fussy eater?  Or are they worried about their body image?

JO FROST (Super Nanny) is looking for mums and dads (with kids under the age of 15) in need of expert advice to take part in a brand new series for Channel 4.

No matter how big, small, common or unusual your problem Jo and her team of experts want to help.

For more information please call 0207 424 7606 or email jofrost@outlineproductions.co.uk or text us your details on 07757 176 287 and we will call you back.

All calls will be treated in strict confidence.

Chelmsford College welcome applications from students with disabilities or learning difficulties and aim to provide support that is tailored to individual needs.

Support is provided on a range of courses which have been specifically designed to help students to develop their learning. Individual and small group programmes are offered to students who need to develop their English, Maths and Study Skills through specialist literacy, numeracy and dyslexia support and the provision of support assistants.

If you have a disability or learning difficulty, please tell us when you come for your interview and make sure that you tick the box on the enrolment card. You will then be given a confidential individual needs questionnaire. Please return this as quickly as possible so that we can start the process of assessing your needs and arranging an interview with an ALS Manager.

Supported Learning Services

At Chelmsford College, we welcome students with learning difficulties and disabilities and aim to provide support that is tailored to individual needs.

The College provides a wide range of Support Services to students with learning difficulties and disabilities. It is recognised that certain students will require assistance to succeed at College.

If you have received support in the past or have a medical condition likely to affect the quality of your educational experience, please complete the Individual Needs Questionnaire below.

Download Individual Needs Questionnaire

Students are encouraged to contact the Learning Support Manager for a private interview (see below).

A copy of the College’s Disability Statement is available from Client Services.

Please contact Janet Maynard at Chelmsford College for further information.

Chelmsford Mencap are hoping to build on our current partnership with Chelmsford College in the near future. We hope that all students no matter where they live will want to join Chelmsford Mencap and enjoy our range of activities (particularly our Adult Adventurers Club) throughout the year with friends they have made at the College.

Learning Support Manager:

• Name: Janet Maynard
• Address: Moulsham Street Campus, 102 Moulsham Street, Chelmsford, CM2 0JQ
• Telephone: 01245 265611 Fax: 01245 266908
• Email: maynardj@chelmsford-college.ac.uk

Learning for Work is a Royal Mencap project based on two sites in Chelmsford and Braintree. The part-time college-based course is for adults with learning disabilities who want to learn about, prepare for and experience the world of work. The course aims to develop independence and teach new work and life skills through an individual programme.

Chelmsford Mencap are hoping to build on our current partnership with Learning for Work in the near future (who rent Chelmsford Mencap Hall from us). We hope that all students no matter where they live will want to join Chelmsford Mencap and enjoy our range of activities (particularly our Adult Adventurers Club) throughout the year with friends they have made at Learning for Work.

Operations Manager:

Name: Sue Robertson

Address: 56 Mildmay Road, Chelmsford, Essex, CM2 ODZ (Chelmsford Mencap Hall)

Telephone: 01245 250548

Email: sue.robertson@mencap.org.uk

Tags: learning for work, Royal Mencap

The Mencap Learning Disability Helpline

The Learning Disability Helpline is an advice and information service for people with a learning disability, their families and carers.

 It also provides information and advice to anyone wanting to know about learning disability issues and services. 

What we are

The Learning Disability Helpline is made up of a telephone helpline, community based advisers and the Mencap website.

Community-based advisors support people with a learning disability, their parents and carers. They can do this by phone, email, post, a direct visit or a combination of these.

What we do

We give advice and information about:

• community care
• benefits
• education
• jobs
• housing
• holidays
• family and personal relationships.

We can also give you the name and number of other people who can help you. 

Language Line translation service

If English is not your first language and you need information or advice, the Learning Disability Helpline offers a translation service. Just call the helpline on 0808 808 1111 and tell the operator which language you need.

The operator will ask for your contact details so they can call you back. They will then contact Language Line and you will be able to talk to the operator through an interpreter. This is a three way process.

Contact us

To get in touch with the Learning Disability Helpline, please contact:

Learning Disability Helpline
Mencap
4 Swan Courtyard
Coventry Road
Birmingham B26 1BU

Telephone: 0808 808 1111

Email: help@mencap.org.uk
Typetalk: 18001 0808 808 1111

Other Resources

 Chelmsford and District Mind

• Advocacy
• Counselling
• Eating disorder support
• Outreach services
• Support groups