Useful resources for the public
Tricky Friends
This short video contains advice on mate crime and is mainly aimed at adults with learning disabilities who may be exploited by people they see as friends. You may like to share this video with people you know who may be at risk of being exploited so they are better informed about what to do if they find themselves in this situation. If you are concerned someone you know is being exploited, you can find advice and information about making a safeguarding referral via this link.
“Techniques to Manage the Effects of Stress and Trauma” Resource Pack
This Resource Pack hosted by the Nottingham Practice Development Unit is a collection of strategies designed to help people cope with stress, regulate emotions, and stay grounded in the present. It has been developed to help people manage the effects of trauma, with a particular consideration towards individuals who are experiencing multiple disadvantage.
The pack is intended to be an accessible resource that people can use by themselves, or explore with someone they trust. It intentionally draws upon suggestions that are free or low cost to implement, to benefit a wide audience.
It provides practical examples of techniques that can be used to improve mental health and wellbeing, as well as tools to support people to practice the different strategies that are outlined in the pack.
Get me to hospital: When and how to use the Mental Capacity Act to convey a person to hospital for physical health treatment
This guide originated from evidence which demonstrates that practitioners struggle to make these decisions and focuses on issues of supporting people under the Mental Capacity Act (MCA), not the Mental Health Act – who are assessed as unable to make their own decision to be conveyed to hospital for physical treatment, and require a decision to be made, in their best interests.
The focus of this guide is to support both the individual when they are at the centre of decisions relating to conveyance to hospital, and the practitioner responsible for arranging, or undertaking, conveyance of the individual. It also looks to address potential health inequalities where individuals have been known to die from preventable conditions because professionals have not used the MCA, correctly.
While this guide discusses implementation of the MCA, we would always advise that you seek legal advice if you are unsure and experience complex situations that involve refusal to attend hospital, where possible.
The Transform Toolkit: Improving Support for People With Learning Difficulties Experiencing Abuse
Carmarthenshire County Council, with funding from Lloyds Bank Foundation, have produced a toolkit to support people with learning disabilities experiencing domestic abuse.
The toolkit features accessible information to help people with a learning disability identify and escape domestic abuse.
The toolkit uses a traffic light system to denote different types of information. Red denotes vital information, amber important information, and green more personal “holistic” information. This system should make it possible for some people with learning disabilities to understand the information intuitively.
This toolkit can be accessed below via the Ann Craft Trust website.
The Vulnerability Registration Service
The Vulnerability Registration Service (VRS) is a not-for-profit organisation providing a central, independent register of vulnerable people, helping companies to identify vulnerability and keep people safe.
The Vulnerability Registration Service (VRS) gives vulnerable people a single place to register their status, helping them avoid repeating the same difficult conversations every time they engage with organisations like lenders and creditors. It is a “Not for Profit Company Limited by Guarantee” whose aim is to help vulnerable consumers protect themselves against the financial, social and very personal hardship suffered as a result of debt and financial problems.
Cyber Protect
Protect yourself from Cybercrime, Identity theft and fraud; find out more information by visiting
If you have Sky or BT, you can find out more about protection by downloading the following PDF Documents:
For BT Call protect, dial 1572 and press 1 when asked.
Unknown caller?
Banks, the police, HMRC or other official organisations will never call you and ask you to transfer money or give cash or goods. Do not give any personal or bank details.
Call your local police on 101
Talk offers a Call Safe security service that helps stop unwanted callers from reaching you.
For more details, visit the About Call Safe – TalkTalk Help & Support webpage.