Accessibility
We have been making careful plans to ensure our services and support can continue throughout the pandemic, where practically possible, and where this can be done safely. Given that we provide support to some of the most vulnerable people in the city, our attention is very much focused on maintaining the health, safety and well-being of all the people who use our services.
Our staff are doing everything they can to ensure the highest standards of hygiene are maintained to minimise the possibility of infection between staff and the people who use our services.
We continue to closely monitor the latest government advice and are working with colleagues in Leeds City Council and the NHS to plan for any impact there may be to services. Please follow the government advice about what to do if you or someone you care for has been in contact with someone who has symptoms of COVID-19.
Day Services:
Given the rise in the number of people contracting coronavirus across the country, combined with the particular vulnerabilities of the people we support (and those of a number of family carers themselves), we took the difficult decision to suspend all our day services with effect from Wednesday, 18th March 2020. We were of the view that the risk of many people with such vulnerabilities being in one place was too great.
Although we closed the day services, we were keen to try to support family carers as best we could. Therefore, prior to taking this decision, staff contacted family carers to talk about how we could best help you whilst the day service buildings are closed. We asked you to let us know if you are likely to need support from Aspire staff in your own home whilst your loved one could not attend their day service and we arranged for this support wherever possible.
We were pleased to re-open the majority of our day services during August and September 2020, albeit with reduced numbers. We offered all the places to people living at home with family carers or with St. Anne’s carers. We have continued to provide family carers who do not wish to take up day service places with the support they requested plus we are trying to speak to you on a regular basis to see how you are and to check if your support needs have changed.
If you need to contact a manager, the phone numbers are:
The team at Carers Leeds can also be contacted on 0113 380 4300 if you would like support from them.
Following a dramatic rise in Coronavirus cases nationally around Christmas-time, we very temporarily closed our day services again in early 2021. This gave us an opportunity to review our safety measures and to discuss the needs of individuals with family carers. Happily we were able to re-open our day services very quickly, despite the ongoing national restrictions, operating services in ‘bubbles’.
We continue to closely monitor Government guidance and will adapt our services as necessary in order to keep the people we support and our staff safe.
Respite Services:
We are constantly reviewing the situation within our Respite Services. Many families made the decision to keep their loved ones at home whilst the incidents of coronavirus across the country were rapidly rising. We keep in close contact with families about their planned respite stays and endeavour to continue to provide this service where practically possible and safe to do so. We have been able to offer extra stays to some families who have requested this, accept new people into the service and make changes to our service offer to suit individual need. We have also worked throughout the pandemic with partner organisations to offer a resource that is as flexible as possible.
Supported Living Services:
We have put all available staffing resources into maintaining our supported living services. Many of our day service staff have moved into working in our supported living services which has been welcomed by the people they support. To minimise the risk of the spread of Coronavirus we keep our visitor protocols under review in order to keep everyone safe.
Online Activities:
We have developed a programme of online activities. Through Live Events on our Facebook page, Zoom meetings and activities posted to the calendar on our website, we are enabling the people we support to stay active and connected with families, friends, staff and other organisations.
Protocol for family members visiting people who are being supported by Aspire staff during the Coronavirus pandemic.
Updated 17.05.2021 – v.10 now includes guidance on family visits to reflect the government’s new national restrictions to be introduced in England from 17th May.
The Carers Leeds advice line is 0113 380 4300
It and is open:
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday – 9am to 4:30pm
Wednesdays – 8:00am to 6:30pm.
You can also e-mail the advice line for support during these hours at: advice@carersleeds.org.uk
Resources to support families/carers of people with learning disabilities through the coronavirus restrictions produced by the Learning Disability Professional Senate
Information for carers of people who access day services
Closure of day services
Updated visitor guidance
The Government has updated rules that say, anyone unable to work due to caring responsibilities arising from COVID-19, can be placed on furlough. However, we believe key workers are not included in this.
Update for family carers now we are in a further period of lockdown across the country.
The government has published updated guidance for unpaid carers who are caring for someone who has a learning disability or autism to help them keep the person safe and to protect their own wellbeing.
13.08.2020 – Guidance for those who provide unpaid care to friends or family was updated to reflect changes on face coverings and shielding. There are also updated links to ‘get a test to check if you have coronavirus’.
28.09.2020 – Guidance for those providing unpaid care to adults with learning disabilities and autistic adults was updated replacing links to social distancing guidance and easy-read counterpart with updated guidance on staying alert and safe, coronavirus outbreak FAQs and guidance on meeting with others safely.
20.10.2020 – to include guidance on local Covid alert levels, updated links to accessible resources and removed outdated links to easy-reads.
05.11.2020 – The providing unpaid care guidance has been updated to include links to the guidance on the new national restrictions will apply in England from 5 November to 2 December.
26.11.2020 – The providing unpaid care guidance has been updated to include relevant links to guidance on the local restriction tier system that will be in place in England from 2 December.
14.01.2021 – Both the providing unpaid care and providing unpaid care to adults with learning disabilities and autistic adults guidance was updated to reflect national lockdown rules in England.
26.02.2021 – The providing unpaid care to adults with learning disabilities and autistic adults guidance updated. Under ‘Social distancing’ now includes that the government has published the ‘Covid-19 Response – spring 2021’ setting out the roadmap out of the current lockdown for England, and that from 8 March some of the rules on what you can and cannot do will be changing.
31.03.2021 – The providing unpaid care to adults with learning disabilities and autistic adults guidance updated to reflect easing of some Covid-19 restrictions from 29 March.
13.04.2020 – Guidance for those who provide unpaid care to friends or family updated to reflect that changes to the coronavirus restrictions came into effect on 12 April.
10.05.2021 – The providing unpaid care to adults with learning disabilities and autistic adults guidance updated to reflect easing of some Covid-19 restrictions from 12 April.
04.06.2021 – The providing unpaid care guidance has been updated. Under ‘Making alternative arrangements for care’, removed reference to shielding.
21.06.2021 – The providing unpaid care guidance has been updated in line with minor changes on 21st June in restrictions.
26.02.2021 – The providing unpaid care to adults with learning disabilities and autistic adults guidance updated in line with the lifting of most legal restrictions to control COVID-19 from 19 July 2021, as we move to Step 4 of the COVID-19 roadmap.
30.07.2021 – The providing unpaid care to adults with learning disabilities and autistic adults guidance updated to include information on NHS volunteer responders.
23.08.2021 – Amendments made to the providing unpaid care guidance on making alternative arrangements to care when the carer or the person they care for has symptoms of COVID-19, a positive test or is a close contact of someone with a positive test result.
24.08.2021 – The providing unpaid care to adults with learning disabilities and autistic adults guidance updated to include guidance on self-isolation that came into effect on 16th August.
The government has published guidance aimed at people who receive support via direct payments through personal budgets and personal health budgets, and local authorities, clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) and providers who support and deliver care via direct payments.
The guidance for people eligible for Covid-19 testing has been updated and has now been opened up to include informal carers (and volunteers).
Update from Andy Rawnsley, Chief Executive, as the country moves into Phase 1 of easing lockdown restrictions.
Letter from Andy Rawnsley, Chief Executive of Aspire, thanking family carers for their support over recent months and providing an update on services as we begin planning for the re-opening of some of our day services.
Leeds Carers Partnership have pulled together loads of useful information and resources for family carers all in one place.
Issue 2: 6th July 2020.
Issue 3: 20th July 2020 has the following updates:
Issue 4: 10th August 2020 has the following updates:
Issue 6: 21st September 2020 has the following updates:
Issue 7: 14th October 2020 has the following updates:
The new/updated content in this issue is mainly focussed on the new three level risk alert model. Leeds, along with the rest of West Yorkshire, has been placed in the “high” alert level.
Issue December 2020 includes information re: the free PPE for unpaid carers (page 5) and the new Carers Digital Inclusion Offer (page 19).
Please share/promote the document with carers, colleagues, providers etc. If you want to include something in the next issue, or if you notice something is incorrect or out of date, please contact or ian.brookemawson@leeds.gov.uk or rachel.moore@carersleeds.org.uk
Government guidance for those under 25 who provide care for someone during the coronavirus pandemic together with an easy read version.
Letter from Andy Rawnsley, Chief Executive of Aspire, providing an update as the government announces changes to shielding arrangements.
Letter from Andy Rawnsley providing a Covid update as restrictions continue to be lifted across the country. Shielding staff are returning to work and we have begun a programme to re-open day services to people living at home with family carers or with St. Anne’s Community Care Scheme carers.
Letter from Andy Rawnsley as the rates of coronavirus are increasing again and additional national restrictions have been imposed together with new local restrictions for Leeds. We have re-opened 22 of our day services, organised in ‘bubbles’ in accordance with the national ‘Rule of 6’ guidance. Whilst we continue to provide respite and supported living services, we have had to stop family visits in all but exceptional circumstances due to the new local restrictions. This will be kept under constant review as the government advice is updated, and we will continue to do all we can to support people to keep in touch with their loves ones.
Letter to family carers providing an update on our services as we prepare to move into new national restrictions with effect from 5th November.
Letter from Chief Exec, Andy Rawnsley, delivering some much needed good news about the approval of the Pfizer vaccine. Also, information about visiting loves ones and Aspire’s re-contracting with the Council.
Letter from Andy Rawnsley in the midst of the third national lockdown. The vaccination programme is offering some light at the end of a very long tunnel: half of Aspire’s staff has now had their first dose of the vaccine and we are working with local GP surgeries and the NHS so that the people we support can also be offered the vaccine. There was a short pause in our day services at the point the third national lockdown was announced, but services are up and running again, albeit with significantly limited numbers; priority is being given to people who live at home with family carers/St. Anne’s Community Care Scheme carers. People using respite services will be supported, where possible, to wear face masks.
Letter to family carers from Andy Rawnsley providing an update on our vaccination progress during the third national lockdown.
Letter to family carers from Andy Rawnsley as the government announces it 4-step plan for easing restrictions.
Please find below a link to the Restore2 Mini Family Carers training:
Restore 2 Mini Family Carers training
If you have any issues accessing the link, please contact n.walters@nhs.net
Letter from Andy Rawnsley, as the national restrictions are being eased, detailing take up of the Covid-19 vaccine across Aspire and our approach to family visits within Supported Living Services and planning to build back our Day Services.
Letter to family carers from Andy Rawnsley following further easing of the national restrictions. Visiting may now take place at our supported living and respite & emergency services. A lateral flow test is recommended before visiting supported living services. This is a government requirement for visiting respite & emergency services.
Letter to family carers from Andy Rawnsley following further easing of the national restrictions.
Letter from Andy Rawnsley advising family carers that, starting from Monday, 16th August, we plan to gradually increase the numbers for people attending day services over a few weeks back up to pre-Covid levels.
Letter from Andy Rawnsley discussing the continued re-opening of day services, providing details of our upcoming commemoration and celebration event and sharing the Annual Plan 2021/22.
Providing information about attendance in our day services where someone tests positive for Covid, apology from Transport Services, extension of mandatory vaccinations for staff in health and social care plus information about changes in our management teams.
Update letter advising that the pause in day services and respite services (except emergency respite) due to staff absences related to the Covid pandemic will continue during the week commencing 10 January 2022.
Update letter advising that the current pause in some of our services will continue during the week commencing 17 January 2022.
Update letter advising that day services and respite services will resume from Monday, 24 January but that Passenger Transport Services may take a little longer to resume due to the impact of Covid on its staff.
