Adults & Communities
15 November 2011
Support service reaches out to deaf and hard of hearing people
Leicestershire County Council’s social care support service for deaf and hard of hearing people is reaching out to local communities to provide help and advice to them in their own areas.
A short film using British Sign Language shows how the service can help people and is available to view online at: www.leics.gov.uk/asc_services_for_deaf
In addition, a series of drop in sessions will take place every month in local social service offices for people to come and see a member of staff and find out about the support available to them. Members of the team are experienced in using British Sign Language. The sessions will take place from 9.30am – 12.30pm as follows:
- First Tuesday of the Month – Loughborough
- First Thursday of the Month - Market Harborough
- Second Tuesday of the Month - South Wigston
- Second Thursday of the Month – Coalville
- Third Tuesday of the Month – Hinckley
- Third Thursday of the Month - Melton Mowbray
The service is there to support the needs of deaf people with learning disabilities, mental health problems, additional physical disabilities and older people. In addition the service:
- Is available to deaf, deafened, deafblind and hard of hearing adults in Leicestershire or Rutland
- Offers face to face access to staff that use clear speech, British Sign Language or Sign Supported English.
- Is also available by telephone; minicom; SMS mobile text; email or letter
- Assesses peoples needs
- Supports in arranging services
- Signposts to other specialist services
- Provides access and information about adaptive equipment including: television loops, flashing door alerts, flashing telephone alerters, vibrating smoke alarms or vibrating alarm clocks, and Alerting equipment for deaf, deafened, deafblind and hard of hearing carers
- Holds drop in sessions to meet with a Duty Worker
David Sprason, Leicestershire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Adults and Communities said:
“We want to be able to reach out to all members of Leicestershire’s community and these new drop in sessions will be a great help to many people who need support and advice but don’t know how to get it. There will be staff on hand that can communicate in British Sign Language and help them access services that they need.”
For more information please visit: www.leics.gov.uk/asc_services_for_deaf or call:
Voice: 0116 305 9395
Minicom: 0116 305 9376
Typetalk: 18001 0116 305 9395
Fax: 0116 305 9375
Mobile (only text): 07949 633788
Or email: servicesfordeafpeople@leics.gov.uk
Minicom: 0116 305 9376
Typetalk: 18001 0116 305 9395
Fax: 0116 305 9375
Mobile (only text): 07949 633788
Or email: servicesfordeafpeople@leics.gov.uk
Media Enquiries: For journalists - Telephone 0116 305 6274 (Emergency out-of-hours 07887 634 474)
