People First, work with Lancashire County Council to support vulnerable citizens
‘Keeping People Connected’ exists to support people who have, or may have, learning difficulties and/or autism during the outbreak of Covid-19.
The service is built on People First’s 30 years’ of experience working with and supporting vulnerable people, and Lancashire County Council’s commitment to supporting Lancashire through the Covid-19 crisis.
‘Keeping People Connected’ provides an over the phone service that connects those in need of support with an experienced, friendly and specialist professional.
Immediate and impactful, vulnerable members of our communities will be able to reach out to ask questions, to share their experiences, to have a conversation and to connect with a reliable, trustworthy and experienced member of the People First team.
People First has been supporting people with learning disabilities for over thirty years. We know that vulnerable people can struggle in normal times; in times of pandemic these struggles can magnify hugely.
People First is working with Lancashire County Council to identify and provide support to vulnerable adults. By working together we will support those who need help during this difficult time.
‘Keeping People Connected’ provides a safe, reliable and friendly outlet for vulnerable people; connecting through calls and conversation, the service brings those who are feeling isolated connection and support.
Through the service, we will provide:
- Immediate safety assessments
- Support and connection
- Advice and information in accessible formats
- Signposting to specialist service
- Regular check in calls by trained professionals
- Friendship and support to be less isolated
The service includes regular and personalised calls. A member of the People First team will be paired with a caller to understand and assess their current situation.
Our team will be ready to discuss health and wellbeing, food, medication, isolation, support needs, safety and general issues regarding Covid-19, social distancing and shielding.
Get in Touch
Those who will benefit from ‘Keeping People Connected’, or those who know someone who would, can contact us by:
- Phone: 0300 303 0175
- Email: [email protected]
About the service, People First CEO, David Blacklock said:’ We know people with learning disabilities and/or autism can be extremely vulnerable, this is of course magnified by the current international Covid-19 crisis.’
‘As an organisation dedicated to supporting people, we want to make sure that we are making a proactive difference during these unprecedented times, to the lives of people across Lancashire.’
‘Through ‘Keeping People Connected’ we are able to develop a meaningful connection with those who need our support; we can help to share information, to provide companionship and to be a dependable presence at this most unpredictable time.’
‘If you, or anyone you know, has learning difficulties and/or autism, needs support, information or just want to talk, get in touch today. Give our team a call on 0300 303 0175, or drop an email to [email protected] ’
‘Together we can keep connected and support each other through this pandemic.’
County Councillor Graham Gooch, Lancashire County Council’s cabinet member for adult services, said:
“Funding this additional service in Lancashire is part of the extra measures we’re putting in place to support people with learning disabilities throughout the current Coronavirus outbreak.
“People First has a wealth of experience of working with people with disabilities. Trained staff will support people with everything from getting their medication and carrying out safety assessments, through to online shopping and putting them in touch with organisations that can help if they are having difficulties at the current time.
“The service is designed to support people with a variety of learning disabilities including autism.”
Help us do our bit
The more people who know about this service, the more people we can support. Please help us to do our bit by promoting this service as far as possible.
We will happily take part in phone interviews, television requests, or requests for other media to help spread the word and make the biggest difference we can for our communities.
Thank you
