Task 1
Unit 12 – Supporting Individuals with Additional Needs
Therefore Rebecca would highly benefit from statutory guidance as the guidance ensures
that their needs are identified and assessed early on through a clear legal framework. This
helps to ensure that disabled children have access to the right support and resources
needed to reach their full potential. In addition, the guidance encourages schools to make
reasonable adjustments to support disabled children, promoting an inclusive education
environment where children with disabilities are not discriminated against. This can include
tailored teaching materials, specialist staff, and accessibility modifications to school
buildings.
Rebecca's situation highlights the challenges faced by low-income families with disabled
children. While it is positive that she is provided with a wheelchair and special needs school,
the accommodation does not meet her needs. Living in a non-wheelchair friendly home can
have significant impacts on Rebecca's life, including limiting her mobility, independence, and
access to certain areas of the house. This can in turn decrease her overall quality of life and
mental well-being. Rebecca and her family may be entitled to additional support such as
financial assistance to make the necessary improvements to their home so that it is
wheelchair-friendly. Assistance may also include access to advocacy services to help the
family navigate the system and access the support that they need to improve Rebecca's
overall quality of life. It is important that the local authorities are made aware of Rebecca's
situation and are encouraged to act and provide the necessary assistance to ensure she has
access to suitable accommodation. This may include speaking to local representatives or
charities, local support groups for people with disabilities or seeking legal advice to assist in
advocating for Rebecca's needs.
Statistically it is shown that, 37% of parents or carers with disabled children do not have
access to college or schools due to the lack of support, 53% of parents or carers have been
forced to give up their jobs in order to be a full time carer for their children and only 4% feel
like they are receive the right care and support (Disabled Children Partnership, 2021).
Providing Rebecca and her family with the necessary support, such as financial assistance
to make their home wheelchair-friendly and access to advocacy services, can have several
advantages. Improved quality of life, by making their home wheelchair-accessible, the family
can improve Rebecca's mobility, independence, and overall quality of life. Enhanced mental
health, by providing support can help alleviate stress, anxiety, and depression among the
family members, leading to better mental health and well-being. Increased social inclusion,
by improving accessibility this can provide opportunities for Rebecca to engage in various
activities, which can increase her social inclusion and overall well-being.
It is not only Rebecca who benefits from this support, but her family and the wider
community. Addressing the accessibility issues allows Rebecca and her family to participate
more fully in their community, which improves the community's overall well-being and can
also help promote social inclusion and diversity, encouraging open and safe communities.
Overall, Rebecca’s support has been effective towards improving her wellbeing, as she and
her family are being provided with different types of provisions that can help them to become
independent. The family is able to apply for financial support if they would need more money
in order to support their daughter in meeting her needs and requirements. Physically,
Rebecca is able to make progress on her muscles and mobility with the use of
, Task 1
Unit 12 – Supporting Individuals with Additional Needs
physiotherapy. Intellectually, she is able to attend a school where education is the same as
in an all state school, meaning that she would not have any gaps in her skills or learning.
Emotionally, her mental health would increase and the probability of her gaining a mental
illness would be low. Socially, she is able to interact with others and have a chance at her
future.
The support offered to Ben is residential housing and supervision at all times.
Living in a residential home can be beneficial for Ben, as he may require extra care and
support, this can provide him with access to adequate healthcare, nutrition, and social
activities. By providing him with a residential home, it can increase the management of type
2 diabetes, as diabetes management can be challenging for individuals with Down's
syndrome due to their increased risk of obesity and difficulties in following complex dietary
requirements. Living in a residential home can help Ben to access regular medical check-
ups and receive appropriate medication, nutrition, and exercise plans to manage his
condition. This provision can also offer emotional support, as living without family support
can have a significant impact on an individual's emotional well-being. Being in a residential
home can provide Ben with access to companionship and social opportunities, which can
help alleviate feelings of loneliness and depression. Therefore by living in a residential
setting, this can meet all of Ben’s needs and requirements as he is able to access better
support and care, as well as increase his mental health and social network. Leading to a
successful provision.
A personal health budget is an amount of money given to an individual by the National
Health Service (NHS) to support their health and wellbeing needs. This can benefit Ben as it
can increase the personalised care, with a PHB, Ben would have more control over his
health care. He would be able to choose which services he needs, how these services are
delivered, and who provides them, based on his unique needs and preferences. As well as
improving health outcomes, by offering a PHB, Ben would have the ability to access health
care services that can help manage his diabetes, such as tailored nutrition advice or
diabetes education sessions, which would lead to better health outcomes, quality of life and
prevent future complications. Therefore, accessing a PHB would provide Ben with a more
personalised and self-directed approach to his care. By using a personalised budget to fund
his necessary care needs, Ben can live a more independent, fulfilling life while also having
the appropriate control over his health and wellbeing.
While living in a residential house can provide many benefits to individuals such as Ben,
there can also be some disadvantages to consider. Some of these disadvantages are, loss
of control, even though Ben has a mentality of an 8 year old, he will not be able to make
decisions for himself, Ben may have to abide by certain rules or routines and may have less
control over his time and choices. Another disadvantage may be reduced privacy, by living in
a residential house often means that Ben will live with other residents, which may lead to
reduced privacy and personal space. This can impact his emotional and mental well-being.
Lastly, adapting to a new environment. Moving into a residential home means that Ben
would have to adapt to a new environment with unfamiliar people and routines, which could
cause disruption to his daily life. This could lead to anxiety or discomfort initially until he
becomes more familiar with his surroundings.
