Mencap launches its families' charter

Friday 27 April 2007

The Mencap families' charter was officially launched at the House of Commons on 17 April 2007.

This unique charter lays out the way in which Mencap, the UK's leading learning disability charity, wants to work with the families of the people that it supports in its services. It has been developed in partnership with parents and relatives and is a two-way commitment to working together in the future.

Dame Jo Williams, Mencap's chief executive, said: "Mencap was created as a family-based organisation. We've now moved to an organisation still committed to families, but we are also now an organisation for people with a learning disability. We needed to make a statement about how important families still are, but in the modern day context. It's part of Mencap moving on and moving forward."

The launch event was attended by more than 100 people, including people with a learning disability, their families and carers, Mencap staff members and trustees, MPs, and representatives from other charities and organisations.

The charter has taken two years to develop and is set firmly within the context of person-centred working. It aims to build on the successes of Mencap and to strengthen the relationships between relatives and Mencap staff to ensure that people receive the best possible support to achieve the things that matter to them.

Care services minister, Ivan Lewis MP, gave his views of the charter: "This charter makes a very powerful statement about the responsibility of organisations, governmental or not, to work in partnership with families."

To find out more contact: eileen.downey@mencap.org.uk