About the Network
Why do we need a network?
More and more people with learning disabilities are having children. People with learning disabilities can be good parents if they get the right support.
But the reality is that lots of parents with learning disabilities don't get the support they need. Often they have their children taken away by the courts.
Professionals and parents need to work together. Different professionals need to work together so parents with learning disabilities can get better support.
How will we do this?
The Working Together with Parents Network exchanges information and ideas about good practice in supporting parents with learning disabilities/difficulties look after their own children.
What has the Network been doing?
The project brought different people together to exchange information and ideas and take action in a number of different ways:
- A national Task Force of parents and professionals from key organisations, including government departments, met to take action on key issues.
- A Parents Network was supported by CHANGE. Parents met together to share ideas and fed these to the Taskforce. Parents also helped to create easy to understand leaflets on important issues, like child protection and court procedures.
- Professionals Network meetings. Multi-disciplinary professional Network Meetings were held in different areas of England.
- Scotland. The Scottish Consortium for Learning Disability (SCLD) set up and coordinated a network in Scotland.
- UK-wide Network of members. A part time project coordinator and administrator at NFRC created a database and website, producing email updates and newsletters to share ideas and good practice.
