Leeds Mencap

Leeds Mencap supports children and young people with a learning disability, their parents and carers, from across Leeds.  We also support adults with learning disabilities. We provide support and opportunities in the following ways:

Hawthorn specialist playroom: Through the playroom, very young children with additional needs are provided with specialist development support through play. The children can attend from age 0 – 3years old.  They attend for one day a week from 9.30am – 2.15pm.  Parents/carers stay on site and are supported by the Family Support Coordinator.  The Coordinator facilitates parents/carers to provide informal support to each other and also provides information, advice and guidance.

Family Support Service: We provide, advice, information and support for parents and carers of children and adults with learning disabilities. This is provided through groups and one to one work with individual families.

Fun in the holidays: We aim to support the whole family, particularly during the long summer holidays, but also during the shorter school breaks.  We run holiday play schemes for children and young people with a learning disability from age 4 – 19.  We also organise Family fun days and also day trips out.  We provide some extra staff so families can enjoy their time together knowing there is a spare pair of hands around if needed.

Youth clubs: We run two youth clubs.  Tuesday youth club is for 9 – 13 year olds and Thursday youth club is for 14 – 18 year olds.  The clubs provide a fun and safe environment for young people with a learning disability to get together and take part in a range of activities.  They build their confidence, make new friends and get to try new experiences.

Me2 dance group: Me2 is an inclusive dance group for young people aged 11 – 25, both with and without disabilities.

Sibling support groups: Support for children and young people who have a brother or sister with a learning disability is vital. It gives them the time and space to have fun, share experiences with others who understand, try new activities and have time for themselves.

Friday club: Young adults with a learning disability can get together to socialise and have fun.  The club members decide where they want to go and what they want to do.  Some attend with a support worker, others are supported by the staff who run the group.

The Rookery: Twelve adults with learning disabilities live together in Chapel Allerton.  The current residents are aged 40+ and the majority have lived at the Rookery for a long time.  The residents take part in a variety of activities during the day and evening and live with varying degrees of independence according to their needs.

Jimbo’s Community Nursery:Leeds Mencap now run a nursery primarily for our local community in the Richmond Hill/Burmantofts area of Leeds.  The nursery can take children aged 2 – 5 on a full or part time basis.  The nursery takes children who meet the criteria for the Free Early Education Entitlement (all 3 and 4 year olds and eligible 2 year olds).  Some of the children who attend the specialist Hawthorn playroom also attend Jimbo’s nursery.

The Vinery Centre – Rooms for hire: We have a range of activity and meeting rooms for hire at our premises in East Leeds.  We also have a soft play room and a sensory room.  All the rooms have screens which can be opened up creating flexible space for different size groups and activities.  We can provide refreshments, buffet lunches and a light lunch menu. We have an outdoor play space which includes a sensory path, climbing equipment, a small grassed area and space for a bouncy castle.