Leonard Cheshire Disability

Personalised back up for carers

Richard Evetts from Stansted in Essex works for Barclaycard at Canary Wharf in London. Richard and his wife Mel have three young children, their six year-old son Thomas has cerebral palsy, severe epilepsy, Global Development Delay and is blind.  Richard and Mel discovered they could get assistance from Leonard Cheshire Disability (LCD) which was funded by the Bank Workers Charity after finding out about the initiative from his employer.

The couple were introduced to LCD Distance Mentor Kim Dalton who speaks to Mel on a regular basis.  Thomas is stimulated by music and Richard and Mel wanted this incorporated in his education statement. Initially the request was rejected by the local authority during Tom’s last annual review.

Mel said: “Music is the one thing that gets through to Thomas like nothing else, it is his love. He likes Kathryn Jenkins, the Proclaimers and Mozart calms him down.  Up to the age of five we did not know he had the ability to communicate, but now with music he knows he has the opportunity to make choices and has only just started to do so.”

“A vast part of my day is spent chasing up things for Thomas, Kim has been able to give me sound advice that has saved the family time to make our lives simpler and easier.  Kim has been my back up she has helped to take the stress away.”  

Kim said: “Due to the unsuccessful attempts of the special educational needs coordinator in identifying a suitable music practitioner for Thomas. I contacted the Association of Professional Music Therapists and obtained a list of practising therapists. Although the number of individuals working in the family’s area was somewhat disappointing Mel has been able to work with the contacts we made so Thomas can continue to develop his communication.  The project specialises in providing 1 to 1 personalised, tailor made support with a holistic approach.”

Thanks to Kim, Richard and Mel have received assistance for Thomas with setting up a personalised payroll for his care under Direct Payments. Kim has also recommended an alternative speech and language therapist and she has also helped Richard and Mel speed up their decision to purchase a new Motability vehicle by suggesting they attend the Mobility Road Show at the East of England showground in Peterborough. This enabled the family to test several different models in one day and identify the one which met their collective needs.

Support is given to clients in a wide number of areas like employment, benefits, enterprise, finances, independent living, law, grant funding & statutory funding – Disabled Facilities Grants, health and wellbeing, housing, transport, mentoring, support groups, holiday, leisure, sport and disability specific information.