Plans revealed for new day care facilities in Rotherham for people with learning disabilities and autism

Rotherham Council’s cabinet is set to agree to launch a 90-day consultation on what new facilities should replace the existing two premises that the REACH day service currently occupies.

The existing complex needs day services offer for people with a learning disability and autism is currently provided from the Elliott Centre in Rotherham Town Centre and Maple Avenue in Maltby.

A report to cabinet states that the council’s lease at the Elliott Centre is ‘high risk’, as the site is currently being redeveloped, which risks the centre ‘becoming a building site’.

Some buildings are also ‘derelict and subject to vandalism’.

The Maple Avenue building is an old children’s home that does not meet modern accessibility standards, as it has no lifts, narrow corridors, and ‘direct access issues’.

The council has already committed £2.1m in capital funding for the new facilities, and will ask service users, their families and carers what they want from a new service, and where a new building for the service should be located.

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Final proposals for a new building will be presented to the cabinet in September 2022.

Councillor David Roche, cabinet member for adult social care and public health said: “As we continue to improve services to support people with learning disabilities and autism, we have a long-standing commitment to ensure we maintain an in-house day service provision for people who really need it.

“So, I’m pleased that we are now in a position to bring forward consultation to begin to make new facilities a reality.

“This proposed consultation will ensure we deliver exactly what is needed from our day opportunities offer.

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“The wider learning disability transformation programme we have undertaken is working to provide high quality care and support that enables people with learning disabilities to be as healthy and independent as possible while also offering more personal choice in the support they receive.

“This proposed consultation is a major milestone in that journey and allows us to build something that is modern, flexible and features a wide range of services and facilities that will meet individual needs.”