Leonard Cheshire Disability
Cheshire is a member of the Leonard Cheshire Disability International’s family of services.
There are over 250 Cheshire Homes and services in 55 countries as well as 140 homes and services in the United Kingdom.
Meeting Needs Around the World
For 50 years Leonard Cheshire has been a leading provider of care and support to people with a wide range of disabilities – both in the UK and across the world.
Leonard Cheshire International supports over 240 services for disabled people and their families in 50 countries outside the UK. In the UK, Leonard Cheshire provides a further 140 support services. The first Cheshire Service was founded in 148 by Group Captain Leonard Cheshire, who believed that all disabled people should have the maximum opportunity to determine every aspect of their own lives.
The services are all autonomous and have been set up, and are managed, by local people. Originally they provided mainly residential care, and this is still a major area of work, but approaches have diversified over the years and the emphasis has shifted towards more community orientated provision. Cheshire Services now include rehabilitation centres, skills training centres, support for employment and education programs, independent living programs and community based support services.
Working Together
Local management committees are responsible for the administration and funding of the services within a national structure. Services are committed to using disabled people’s professional skills and personal experience to inform the way services are run.
Some project receive government funding by many, especially in developing countries, are reliant on voluntary donations from local people and businesses, grants from charitable organizations and their own income generating projects.
Countries are grouped in regions for training and development purposes and for ease of communication and coordination.
Plans for the Future
We are committed to supporting the development of new and existing services, particularly community-based support for disabled people.
An exciting new project is our International Self Reliance Program, which aims to provide disabled people with the skills and opportunities they need to find work and become more independent. We are supporting low-cost income generation schemes and small business by providing training and equipment.
What is the Role of Leonard Cheshire International?
Based in London and funded by voluntary donations Leonard Cheshire International offers support and guidance to the services around the world. Together we are creating a network of training and development programs to:
- Empower disabled people, building confidence and developing skills that will enable them to live and work independently,
- Strengthen the organizational capacity of the services to meet the increasing demand
train staff and community workers in care and rehabilitation skills, and - Work in partnership with local services to obtain grants for new developments.
For more information please contact:
Leonard Cheshire International
30 Millbank
London, ON SWIP 4QD
Phone: ++44 (0) 207 802 8200
Fax: ++44 (0) 207 802 8275
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