Experts by Experience: Community Monitors
A Co-production Project in Collaboration with Islington Council
At The Elfrida Society, we are committed to putting the voices of people with learning disabilities at the heart of everything we do. As part of this mission, we proudly run the Community Monitoring Service in partnership with Islington Council—a project driven by the principles of co-production.
The project empowers Experts by Experience - adults with learning disabilities and family carers - who play a crucial role as community monitors. Their firsthand understanding makes them uniquely qualified to assess and advocate for the needs of others living in supported living placements or using day services. Through regular visits to these services, our Community Monitors listen to residents and service users, gathering their feedback on both the positive aspects and areas in need of improvement. This personal, direct engagement ensures that people's real-life experiences are heard and valued.
Our monitors then compile their findings into annual reports, which include practical recommendations for service enhancements. These reports are submitted to Islington Council, ensuring that the feedback is considered and acted upon to improve the quality of life for individuals with learning disabilities.
The Community Monitoring Service is a powerful example of co-production in action - working together with those who use services to drive positive change.
To find out more about the service visit: Community Monitoring Leaflet
Or you can contact us on: enquiries@elfrida.com or 07801 529963.
Experts by Experience: Community Consultants Project
Join the Conversation with Our Community Consultants
Our Community Consultants are dedicated to making sure the voices of the learning disabilities local community are heard. By engaging with people directly, they help shape services and policies that affect everyday life in Islington.
Our consultants organise a variety of discussion events across the borough, covering important topics such as:
- Transport: How accessible and user-friendly is public transport?
- Health: What improvements can be made to healthcare services?
- Safety: Are local safety measures working for everyone?
- Employment: What opportunities exist for people with learning disabilities in the workforce?
For those unable to attend in person, we also offer the option to participate through surveys. Whether in person or online, every piece of feedback is important and is shared with the Islington Council to inform future decisions and improvements. Your insights can help create meaningful change. We invite you to join one of our upcoming events, meet the team, and share your experiences and ideas for a better, more inclusive community.
Get involved and make your voice heard!
To find out more about the service visit: ER Community Consulting Leaflet
Or you can contact us on: enquiries@elfrida.com or 07801 529963.
On Your Marks
Every 3 months, Elfrida invites the local LDAD community to engage with us in a regular event run in collaboration with the Family Carers Action Group.
The aim is for service users and carers to share their views on current provision in Islington and also find out about what is going on in the area for them.
Our 'On Your Marks' events are an opportunity for everyone to have their voices heard and become more active in sharing their views.
Themes for the groups change each time with topics such as advocacy, health care, community safety and day opportunities the most commonly requested sessions.
To find out when our next "On Your Marks" event would take place or for more information, please contact Kat Edwards on:
kat.edwards@elfrida.com or 07801 529963
Focus First
To extend the opportunity for people with LDAD to speak up on issues that concern them, we also facilitate regular consultation sessions for people with LDAD who take part in research projects on topical issues such as voting, transport, employment and public safety.
The projects allow everyone with LDAD to share their own views and be part of positive change in future.
These sessions are run by external research companies in conjunction with Elfrida and they always pay clients for taking part. Sessions are organised whenever a new organisation contacts us and we try to run them as often as possible.
We have a bank of people we contact to take part in the projects and anyone with LDAD is eligible to join. There is no requirement on how many projects people get involved with.
Every participant is rewarded for their time with a shopping voucher provided by the research companies.
You can find out more about our Focus First group or on how to join our group here.
Focus First Flyer
Parental Research Group
Members of our parental peer advocacy group are also part of an additional working group in collaboration with universities across the UK to consult and advise on specialised research project about the impact of parenting with a LDAD.
They also co-produce and lead training sessions for new health professionals on similar subjects. They have become ambassadors in this area and have been heavily involved in the development of training packages and video content for new health professionals.
They are currently working on the development and delivery of learning disability awareness training for midwifes and to support professionals to recognise when a parent-to-be may have learning disabilities. This is part of the Together Project, supporting the delivery of good practice in maternity services for parents with learning disabilities.
To find out more about our parental research group or if you would like to join the group please contact Kat Edwards on kat.edwards@elfrida.com or 07801 529963.
Advocacy: University Research Team
At the Elfrida Society, we are committed to empowering parents with learning disabilities and/or autism (LDA) and advocating for their voices to be heard. One of the ways we strive to achieve this is through our innovative project, where parents with LDA have the opportunity to share their experiences and insights, guiding researchers toward better practices in working with this community.
We are frequently invited to collaborate with universities, where we contribute our expertise to help researchers learn effective methods for engaging with parents with LDA. In response to this demand, we have established a dedicated project that allows parents with LDA to speak firsthand about their experiences and suggest improvements.
Researchers have the option to conduct interviews with parents either on a one-to-one basis or within a group setting. These interviews can take place in person or online, providing flexibility to accommodate the needs and preferences of the parents involved. Depending on the wishes of the parents, interviews may be documented through written transcripts or recorded as films.
We believe in compensating our specialist facilitators for their time and expertise, as well as providing support to the parents involved. Therefore, researchers are expected to cover the costs associated with facilitation and venue usage. Additionally, as a token of appreciation for their valuable contributions, researchers are requested to provide food vouchers to all parents who participate in the interviews.
For more information or to get involved in our project, please contact us at Call - 020 7359 7443 - Email - enquiries@elfrida.com
Together, let's create positive change and ensure that the voices of parents with learning disabilities are heard and respected.
Download Flyer Here
Ready for Parenthood Campaign
Our experts by experience co-produced and supported the Ready for Parenthood Campaign with the Clinical Quality and Improvement Team, Nursing Directorate NHS England Southeast Region. The work reports firsthand from parents who've had particular challenges in early parenthood and how they managed to overcome them.
Learn More
LDAD experts by experience parents have been working with Baroness Hollins - Member of the House of Lords and the Founder and Chair of Beyond Words books - as consultants and contributors to the creation of Beyond Words Books.
Books Beyond Words offer an accessible, evidence-based reasonable adjustment that can improve communication between health care professionals and patients with learning disabilities and/or autism. Talking through the pictures in a Beyond Words story enables health professionals to find out what their patient understands and how they feel about a situation. It allows patients to lead the conversation at their own pace, ask appropriate questions and share any concerns.
For more info visit: booksbeyondwords.co.uk
Paige is a ground-breaking arts and science project exploring learning-disability and parenthood. The project included three theatre productions and a training package. The resources include real stories from LDAD parents to encourage a more person-focused approach to relationships between professionals and LDD parents. The resources are most suitable for health and social care professionals including midwives, social workers, clinical psychologists, advocates and policy makers.
Our parental peer advocacy group contributed to this work and were consulted every step of the way. To find out more about this project visit:
mind-the-gap.org.uk/project/paige-daughters-of-fortune
Easy Read Creation & Checking Service
Easy Readers
Easy Read is an accessible format that makes written information easier to understand due to simple, shorter sentences free of jargon with matching images.
Our Easy Read accessibility work is co-produced with our supported employees to create letters, posters and booklets for all sectors who need their branded documents made into easy read versions.
This is a charged service 'per page' with a very quick turnaround time. We can also offer an 'easy read support & checking service' for organisations who make their own 'easy read' information but need advice from people with learning disabilities and/or autism to make amendments.
We have provided accessible work for many clients including Islington Council, the LFB, the Met Police and NHS. You can find out more about our Easy Read Service here:
Easy Read Service Flyer
Or you can contact us on kat.edwards@elfrida.com or 07801 529963.
GP/Health Professionals & Frontline Staff Training and Support
GP/Health Professional & Frontline Support Staff
We offer a 2 hour interactive training session for any professional wishing to learn more about learning disabilities, learning disabilities and autism and the reasonable adjustments which can be made to support people.
Our supported employees co-facilitate the training in collaboration with Centre 404 and Family Carers Action Group.
To find out more about our training and support offer or to get a quote please contact us kat.edwards@elfrida.com or 07801 529963.
Accessibility Checks
We also offer a checking service for any GP surgeries or front facing services wishing to make sure their space is accessible for people with LDAD.
Again, in collaboration with Centre 404 and Family Carers Action Group, we can arrange a time to visit placements and provide a comprehensive report with recommendations on what improvements could be helpful.
To find out more about our training and support offer or to get a quote please contact us on kat.edwards@elfrida.com or 07801 529963.
Hate Crime Reporting Centre for People with Learning Disabilities and Neurodivergence
People with learning disabilities and neurodivergent needs experience higher rates of hate crime, yet these incidents are often unreported due to fear, confusion, and a lack of accessible support.
Our new Hate Crime Reporting Centre, based in Islington, provides a safe, supportive, and easy-to-access space where people can report hate crimes, get help, and find out about their rights.
Through this project, funded by the Royal Free Charity and supported by local partners including the Islington Learning Disability Partnership, the police, and the Safe Haven Scheme, we’re working to make our community safer and more inclusive.
We also offer advocacy, awareness sessions, and emergency communication cards to help people feel confident and supported when speaking up about hate or discrimination.
Together, we can make Islington a place where everyone - regardless of ability or background - can live without fear and be treated with dignity and respect.
If you or someone you support has experienced hate crime, please contact us on 07801 529963or email advocacy@elfrida.com
Hate Crime Handout Card
Hate Crime Project Leaflet
Police Engagement
We work closely with the local police constabularies to develop good working relationships between the Police and people with LDAD. We have also produced an emergency contact card for people with LDAD to carry with them and share with Police should any communication with them be difficult. Cards are available from our Islington office.
The card has been produced in collaboration with the Met Police and they have committed to being responsive to them.
To find out more about our hate crime prevention and keeping safe initiatives please contact us on kat.edwards@elfrida.com or 07801 529963.
