Person-Centred Community Support
DiRich Specialist Community Support Ltd is preparing to offer person-centred, community-based support for children aged 8 and over, young people, adults and older adults.
Our services are designed to promote independence, confidence, wellbeing, choice, social inclusion and meaningful participation within the community.
Each support arrangement will be planned around the individual’s needs, abilities, communication preferences, interests and personal goals.
Launching soon — we are now welcoming enquiries and referrals for future support.
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Who We Support
DiRich welcomes enquiries and referrals for:
- Children aged 8 and over
- Young people
- Adults
- Older adults
- People with learning disabilities
- Autistic people
- People with communication or additional support needs
- People seeking non-clinical emotional wellbeing support
- People wishing to develop independence and everyday life skills
- Older adults seeking companionship and community connection
DiRich does not currently accept referrals for children under 8 years old.
Every referral is considered individually and is subject to an initial consultation, suitability assessment, safeguarding considerations, risk assessment, staff availability and confirmation that the requested support is within DiRich’s current service scope.
Our Community Support Services
One-to-One Community Support
DiRich is preparing to provide personalised one-to-one support based on the individual’s needs, interests, abilities and agreed goals.
Support may focus on building confidence, developing independence, accessing local opportunities and participating in meaningful activities.
The specific support provided will be agreed through an individual support plan.
Community Access and Outreach Support
We support individuals to access and participate in their local communities.
This may include:
- Visiting cafés, libraries, parks and community centres
- Accessing shops and local services
- Attending social clubs and community groups
- Participating in recreational activities
- Accessing education, training, volunteering or employment opportunities
- Maintaining hobbies and personal interests
- Building confidence in unfamiliar environments
- Developing social and communication skills
Support may begin from the person’s home or another agreed meeting point. DiRich does not provide accommodation, supported-living management or personal care.
Independent Living Skills Support
DiRich supports individuals to develop practical skills that may help them become more confident and independent in everyday life.
Support may include:
- Planning daily or weekly routines
- Making appropriate choices
- Developing organisational skills
- Building confidence when completing everyday tasks
- Understanding appointments and schedules
- Learning how to access local facilities
- Developing communication and decision-making skills
- Practising skills safely within the community
DiRich provides skills support and encouragement only. We do not provide personal care or take over responsibility for managing the person’s household.
Life-Skills Development
We support individuals to practise and develop useful everyday skills.
This may include:
- Shopping and preparing shopping lists
- Basic budgeting and money-awareness activities
- Planning simple meals
- Personal organisation
- Communication skills
- Time management
- Using local services
- Making choices and solving everyday problems
- Building confidence and self-advocacy
Any activity involving food will be limited to planning or preparing a simple meal or drink with an individual who can eat and drink independently. DiRich does not provide feeding assistance or clinical nutritional support.
Travel Training and Public Transport Support
DiRich supports individuals to build confidence when travelling within their local community.
Support may include:
- Planning a journey
- Reading bus or train timetables
- Identifying suitable routes
- Using public transport
- Buying tickets
- Recognising landmarks and stopping points
- Learning road and pedestrian safety
- Developing confidence when travelling
- Preparing for delays or changes to a journey
The aim is to help the individual travel as safely, confidently and independently as possible.
Any transport provided directly by DiRich must be agreed in advance and will be subject to consent, risk assessment, staff suitability and appropriate vehicle and business-insurance arrangements.
Learning Disability Support
DiRich offers person-centred community support for people with learning disabilities.
Support will recognise the individual’s strengths, communication needs, preferences and personal goals.
It may include:
- Community access
- Developing confidence and independence
- Practising everyday skills
- Support with communication
- Social and recreational activities
- Building relationships and community connections
- Support to make choices and express preferences
- Working towards agreed personal outcomes
Support will be adapted to the person’s level of understanding and preferred method of communication.
Autism Support
DiRich provides structured, respectful and person-centred support for autistic people.
Support may include:
- Preparing for community activities
- Developing predictable routines
- Using visual or other agreed communication tools
- Support in unfamiliar environments
- Recognising sensory preferences
- Building confidence and independence
- Accessing hobbies and interests
- Developing social and everyday life skills
- Reducing anxiety through preparation and clear communication
Every person is different, and support will be based on the individual rather than assumptions about autism.
Non-Clinical Emotional Wellbeing Support
DiRich provides friendly encouragement, reassurance and practical support intended to promote confidence, resilience, social connection and emotional wellbeing.
Support may include:
- Listening and supportive conversation
- Encouragement to take part in meaningful activities
- Building confidence
- Supporting positive routines
- Reducing social isolation
- Maintaining hobbies and community connections
- Helping the individual identify appropriate sources of professional support
This is a non-clinical service. DiRich does not provide counselling, psychotherapy, diagnosis, medical treatment, mental-health crisis intervention or emergency support.
Anyone experiencing an immediate medical or mental-health emergency should contact the appropriate emergency or healthcare service.
Support With Appointments
DiRich may accompany individuals to planned appointments, meetings or important engagements.
This may include:
- Healthcare appointments
- Education or college meetings
- Local-authority appointments
- Community-service appointments
- Benefits or housing meetings
- Other agreed engagements
DiRich staff may provide companionship, reassurance and practical help with attending the appointment.
Staff do not provide medical advice, diagnose conditions, interpret clinical information or make healthcare decisions on behalf of the individual.
Social and Recreational Activities
DiRich supports individuals to take part in activities that reflect their interests, choices and personal goals.
Activities may include:
- Hobbies and creative activities
- Sports and physical activities
- Leisure centres
- Clubs and community groups
- Social events
- Faith groups and places of worship
- Museums, parks and local attractions
- Games, reading and shared activities
- Community celebrations
- Activities that encourage friendship and social connection
All activities are subject to suitability, consent, risk assessment and agreement within the person’s support plan.
Older Adult Companionship and Community Support
DiRich is preparing to offer friendly, person-centred companionship and community support for older adults who may be living alone, experiencing social isolation or wishing to remain active and connected.
The service is intended for older adults whose needs can be safely met through companionship, social support and community-based activities without personal care.
Support may include:
- Regular companionship visits and friendly conversation
- Walks and local outings
- Visiting cafés, libraries, parks and community centres
- Shopping companionship and agreed errands
- Accompanying individuals to planned appointments
- Social clubs and recreational activities
- Church, faith-group and community-event attendance
- Maintaining hobbies and personal interests
- Reading, games, puzzles and shared activities
- Support using public transport
- Basic support using phones, tablets and video calls
- Help planning social activities and weekly routines
- Support to remain connected with family, friends and the community
Our aim is to help older adults maintain confidence, independence, wellbeing and meaningful community connections.
Who This Service May Be Suitable For
The service may be suitable for an older adult who:
- Would benefit from regular social contact
- Wishes to remain active in the community
- Can manage their own personal care
- Can eat and drink independently
- Manages their own medication or has separate arrangements in place
- Does not require nursing or medical treatment from DiRich
- Can participate safely with the agreed level of support
Every enquiry will be assessed individually before a service is accepted.
Our Current Service Boundaries
DiRich is preparing to provide non-regulated companionship, social support and community support only.
DiRich does not currently provide:
- Services for children under 8 years old
- Personal care
- Washing, bathing or showering assistance
- Dressing or undressing assistance
- Toileting or continence care
- Feeding assistance
- Personal-hygiene assistance
- Lifting, hoisting or physical transfers
- Medication administration or medication management
- Nursing care
- Medical treatment
- Clinical monitoring
- Counselling or clinical therapy
- Emergency or crisis services
- Residential accommodation
- Supported-living accommodation or management
- Regulated domiciliary care
DiRich will only accept a support arrangement where the requested activities can be provided safely within its current service scope.
If an individual’s needs change and they begin to require personal care, medication management, nursing care, medical treatment or another service outside DiRich’s scope, the support arrangement will be reviewed.
DiRich may pause or end the service where the person’s needs can no longer be safely met.
How Support Is Arranged
1. Initial Enquiry
An individual, family member, representative or professional contacts DiRich to explain the support required.
2. Initial Consultation
DiRich discusses the person’s age, location, needs, interests, preferred activities, communication requirements and proposed schedule.
3. Suitability and Risk Assessment
DiRich considers safeguarding requirements, risks, staff availability, travel arrangements and whether the requested activities are within our current service scope.
4. Support Plan and Agreement
Where the referral is accepted, the agreed activities, boundaries, times, responsibilities and costs will be recorded in writing.
5. Confirmed Start Date
Support will only begin after the service agreement and start date have been confirmed in writing.
An initial enquiry or consultation does not guarantee that DiRich will accept the referral.
Areas We Cover
DiRich is based near Burton upon Trent and is preparing to offer services across:
- Burton upon Trent
- Swadlincote
- Staffordshire
- Derbyshire
- Leicestershire
- Surrounding towns and communities
Availability will depend on the person’s location, travelling distance, staffing and the proposed support arrangement.
Looking for Support?
Whether you are seeking support for yourself, a family member or someone you work with, DiRich welcomes the opportunity to discuss the support required.
We welcome enquiries from:
- Individuals
- Parents and family members
- Advocates and representatives
- Social workers
- Schools and colleges
- Local authorities
- Direct-payment recipients
- Self-funding individuals and families
- Other appropriate professionals and organisations
Contact DiRich
Referrals and General Enquiries
Telephone: 020 3985 2727
Local Contact
Telephone: 01283 351888
Referrals
referrals@dirichsupport.com
Make an Enquiry
Launching Soon
DiRich Specialist Community Support Ltd is currently preparing to launch its community support services.
We are now welcoming enquiries, referrals and expressions of interest for future support. However, support services are not currently being delivered.
A service will only begin after an initial consultation, suitability assessment, safeguarding review, risk assessment, written service agreement and confirmed start date.
Updates about our launch will be published on our website and Facebook page.