Options provides innovative and flexible support to people with learning disabilities across Merseyside, with a range of support needs. The organisation was one of the first of its kind in the UK, established in 1993, and has a proven track record of providing community based supported living for people who want their own place to live with support. The first services were provided in Liverpool and Sefton. Each was based on the principle of finding out what each person to be supported uniquely wanted and needed, and then designing a support service around him/her (what is now called person centredness). Options seeks to support anyone with a learning disability, no matter how complex their support needs. We are committed to turning no-one away and to sticking with people when their lives become very difficult. Options expanded to the Wirral in 2001. To date, across Merseyside, we support 70 people through community outreach and we have developed supported living with 84 people. Outreach Services now operate on the Wirral, in Liverpool, Sefton, Halton, Cheshire and Knowsley. These services support people with learning disabilities by promoting community inclusion through voluntary or paid work, college and social activity and offering valuable respite for families and carers. The support will vary from 3 hours a day to 15 hours a day, usually to someone who lives at home and is supported by their family or another provider agency, or lives without much support. Supported Living Services tend to be 24 hours a day (but can be less), with waking or sleep in staff at night time. With Supported Living, Options will usually be the main provider of support, we will often assist the person to find a house and to establish their own home from scratch. The organisation is committed to staying small with few management tiers and an unwavering commitment to support people with complex support needs. We have approximately 300 staff and provide £5 million of services. Though remaining small in structure, we are always looking out for support workers to join our team. Find our website for more information.
