SEND Family Voices (SFV) - bring people together into a community to improve services, share support and strengthen a common voice. By ensuring families are heard, SFV empower children, young people, and their families to obtain the best possible care and services.
The Healthwatch Kingston Learning Disability Task Group meets every eight weeks.
The Task Groups are where project work is discussed. We have guest speakers invited to come and speak. We review the Health and Care Plan.
We are always looking for new volunteers to join our Task Group, so please get in touch if you would like to get involved.
The board is co-chaired by Healthwatch Kingston and people with a learning disability.
It is made up of professionals who commission and deliver services, and individuals with a learning disability, and their families, carers, and advocates. Together, we ensure that the Learning Disability Strategy is being implemented and work towards improving services. The board meets every two months.
The All Age Learning Disability Partnership Board also organises community events.
Rona Topaz is our Learning Disability Support Officer and can be contacted at:
0203 326 1255
You can get more help from some of our partner organisations. Follow the links:
Kingston Mencap - supports adults with a learning disability, and their families and carers. Kingson Mencap run 4 clubs and projects: Future Friends (for ages 19-35), Seekers (18 +), a Saturday drop-in, and a monthly Carers' group as well as other social activities.
Kingston Voluntary Action’s Directory - Information about voluntary and community organisations registered with Kingston Voluntary Action.
POhWER - Independent Health Complaints Advocacy for people who wish to make a complaint about treatment provided under the NHS.
RISE (Recovery Initiative Social Enterprise) - RISE is a social enterprise, community interest company, but first and foremost, it is a community. They hold a weekly Community Cafe - open to all which provides free food & drinks, games, poetry and more - every Wednesday 1pm to 4pm in the Kingston Quaker Centre.
Achieving for Children - a social enterprise company created in 2014 by the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames and the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames to provide their children’s services. In August 2017, the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead became a co-owner of AfC, and we now deliver children’s services across all three boroughs.
Childline - Childline is a private and confidential counselling service for children and young people up to the age of 19. It is provided by the NSPCC. They can be contacted about a range of issues - no problem is too big or too small. Their telephone number is 0800 1111.
Kingston Local Safeguarding Children Board’s (LSCB) - works to ensure that relevant agencies and professionals work together to protect the borough’s children from abuse, harm and neglect. The LSCB develops, monitors and reviews child protection and child safety policies, procedures and practice within Kingston. It also coordinates and provides inter-agency training for staff across the borough who work with children and families. The LSCB’s job is to have an overview of how effectively children are safeguarded and identify improvements where necessary. For this reason, the LSCB is an independent body that can check on the work of all organisations working with children and families. Telephone 020 8831 6323 or email lscb-support@achievingforchildren.org.uk for more information.
Looked after and leaving care team at RBK - provide a specialist service to children and young people who are under the care of the Council on a permanent or long-term basis or who have left care and require ongoing advice and/or assistance.
YMCA - provides support to vulnerable and homeless young people, and offer a range of inclusive activities for all members of the community including children, youth, and families. YMCA Hawker, YMCA Surbiton, and YMCA Wimbledon provide hostel accommodation, soft play, children’s activities and health and wellbeing services.
Kingston Services for Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Communities
Healthwatch Kingston is delighted to be part of our vibrant and diverse community.
Kingston Race and Equalities Council - KREC’s objectives are:
- To work towards the elimination of racial discrimination and associated inequalities
- To promote equality of opportunity and good relations between persons of different racial groups
- To address the Human Rights and needs of all communities
Refugee Action Kingston - Refugee Action Kingston is delivering advice services by phone, whatsapp and ZOOM including Immigration Advice, Benefits and Housing advice and Health and Education advice.
Milaap Multicultural Day Centre is a registered charity based in the Royal Borough of Kingston. They are a unique multicultural day centre for senior citizens that provides a culturally sensitive atmosphere and ethos. They are open on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays and provide a large variety of special activities that reflect rich cultures and heritages for their member's entertainment. Milaap also ensures that it provides food that caters to the needs of each member.
KREC Partners include:
LGBTQ Services in Kingston
During these unprecedented times, we are very conscious of the impact that COVID-19 and the restrictions will have on the mental health of the population. The Time to Change Champions have put together some lockdown tips based on their personal experiences for Mental Health Awareness Week.
Homelessness and rough sleeping
- Continue membership of the ‘Kingston Safeguarding Adults Board’.
- Continue to deliver the Kingston Making Safeguarding Personal project, including Kingston Safeguarding Voices.
- Continue support for the London Safeguarding Adults Board, London Safeguarding Voices and Conference Planning Groups to ensure people with lived experience of safeguarding are integral to safeguarding systems and processes across London.
- Continue to monitor inequalities, in particular, the health and care needs of children (0-5 years), women and people living with short, intermediate and long-term conditions.