Do You See Me? How visible are my housing needs?

One of the things we reflect on during Learning Disability Week, and this year’s theme of Do You See Me?, is how people are seen and heard in decisions about where and how they live. We also think about the role that having the right home plays in helping people feel seen, heard and included in their communities.

It is easy to underestimate the impact that having the right home can have on someone's life. A home is much more than a roof over your head. When people live somewhere that feels right for them, where they feel safe, supported and secure, it can give them the confidence to build relationships, explore their community and access local services. That sense of security can make the difference between simply existing and living a fulfilling, independent life.

The right home can also improve health and wellbeing, increase opportunities for education and employment, and help people feel connected to the people and places around them. A home is one of the building blocks of a Good Life. Yet for too many people with a learning disability, having the right home remains out of reach. Living in the wrong place can have a significant impact on people's wellbeing, independence and opportunities.

Like everyone else, people with learning disabilities have different needs, preferences and ambitions. The right home for one person might mean living with others, while for someone else it could mean living independently. We must never assume that people with learning disabilities all want the same things from life. There is no one-size-fits-all approach.

Finding the right home should always start with listening. People should have as much choice and control as possible over decisions about where they live and who they live with. Too often, people with learning disabilities have fewer choices about their housing than their non-disabled peers.

The good news is that we can do something about this. We can help people understand the housing options available to them and support them to make informed decisions. This accessible housing guide has been developed to help people with learning disabilities think about where and how they want to live, alongside the people who support them. Its focus is on increasing choice and control and signposting to other sources of information and support.

Families and supporters often play an important role in housing decisions. When people plan together in the right way, supported by accessible information and resources, everyone’s views can be considered while keeping the person with a learning disability at the centre of decisions about their own life.

We also need to recognise that, like everyone else, people's circumstances, aspirations and support needs change over time. Housing options should be flexible enough to change with them. There are many examples of good practice to learn from.

The PCH Best Practice and Insights Report highlights practical ways to increase housing choice and inclusion. And with requirements under the Supported Housing Regulatory Oversight Act, local Supported Housing Strategies also provide opportunities to ensure the needs and preferences of people with learning disabilities are reflected in local plans.

This Learning Disability Week, whatever your role, we encourage you to ask yourself: How am I helping people with a learning disability be seen and heard? In decisions about their own home and support, and in shaping the housing options and services available in their communities.

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Gary Bourlet is co-founder of Learning Disability and Samantha Clark is their CEO.

if you found this blog of interest, check out the range of resources on housing for people with a learning disability and autistic people on the Housing LIN’s dedicated pages at here.

And if you want to join with others to learn and share do join the Housing Community of Practice by clicking here.