Adults with learning disabilities will be supported to lead fulfilling, independent lives as the result of a ten year strategy launched by Oxfordshire County Council working with partners.

The Oxfordshire Learning Disability Plan 2025 - 2035 has been co-produced and co-designed with the voices and experiences of people with learning disabilities, their families, carers and professionals.

The plan is structured around four key themes:

• Having a good life: supporting employment, relationships, and community participation.
• Health and wellbeing: improving access to health services, prevention, and healthy lifestyles.
• Having a place to live: expanding housing choice, supported living and independence.
• Homes not hospitals: providing community-based support and reducing hospital admissions

Over 160 people contributed to a consultation that took place in June and July 2025, including more than 95 people with a learning disability. This further builds on the engagement carried out in late 2024, where:

• 81 people attended a learning disability plan world café event, including 18 people with a learning disability, 19 family carers and 31 professionals.
• The council met with 32 people through dedicated sessions.
• 49 people with a learning disability and 21 staff took part in open focus groups across five community support services.
• 24 people submitted sharing your story forms

Other key partners include the NHS Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West Integrated Care Board (ICB); Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust; city and district councils; Oxfordshire Association of Care Providers (OACP); and voluntary and community sector partners, such as Oxfordshire Family Support Network (OxFSN), My Life My Choice (MLMC) and support providers.

Progress will be overseen by the Learning Disability Improvement Board, which is co‑chaired by Dawn Wiltshire, who has lived experience. The board also includes representatives with learning disabilities and family members, ensuring their voices continue to shape decisions.

Abul, 36, from Headington, who is a member of My Life My Choice and part of the having a good life sub‑group, shared his thoughts on being involved in the plan: "I like that it's online and face to face so it's inclusive for people. It's good for people with lived experience to have a say on important decisions which affect us. 

"It makes me feel good and happy that the council listens to my views".

Councillor Tim Bearder, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, said: “This strategy is about listening and acting. We are determined to make Oxfordshire a place where everyone, regardless of ability, can live a good life.

“The voices of people with learning disabilities, their families and carers have shaped this plan, and their experiences will continue to guide us. We are committed to building communities where everyone is included, supported and empowered to thrive.”

Ongoing engagement will ensure regular feedback, with updates and case studies shared throughout the ten year period. Major reviews and communications refreshes will take place in three, five, and seven years’ time.

To read an accessible version of the plan and for more information, visit the Live Well Oxfordshire website.

ENDS

Sign up to hear from us and receive the latest news and updates in our fortnightly newsletter, Your Oxfordshire.

Lyn Lacey, a dedicated Oxfordshire carer for more than 27 years, was invited to meet Their Majesties The King and Queen at a reception at Windsor Castle yesterday (Wednesday 11 February 2026).

Now aged 77 and living in Banbury, Lyn has spent nearly three decades opening her home and her heart to support others.

The reception, hosted by the King and Queen, shone a light on carers and their contributions to health and social care in the United Kingdom.

Shared Lives is where an adult or young person needing support is matched with a carefully approved Shared Lives carer by their local scheme. That relationship creates a stable foundation, connections in their community and a sense of belonging.  

People typically supported by Shared Lives include those with learning disabilities, care leavers, people with dementia, and people who need short term support, such as during mental ill health or after a hospital stay.

Oxfordshire County Council funds and supports the Shared Lives scheme locally, working with Shared Lives Plus, a UK membership charity and national network that supports Shared Lives schemes, to ensure carers like Lyn have the resources and guidance they need to make a difference.

Lyn’s invitation follows recent recognition at the Shared Lives Plus Awards, where she and the people she supports were named Highly Commended in November 2025. Shared Lives Plus were so impressed by Lyn’s dedication that she was at the top of their list when considering who should attend the reception.

Lyn was accompanied by her Shared Lives Social Worker, Nikki Oleksiw. Her son, Adam Lacey – originally approved to support Lyn and now a Shared Lives carer in his own right for the past 20 years – was also in attendance, representing how the next generation is continuing the Shared Lives model.

Across 27 years and six months as a Shared Lives carer, Lyn has provided both short term and long term arrangements, and currently supports three young men who have lived with her for several years.

A qualified nurse, former care home manager, midwife and magistrate, Lyn brings compassion, structure and resilience to her role.

She treats those she supports as family, advocating with professionals, supporting day to day appointments and creating opportunities to live happy, fulfilling lives. That includes adventurous holidays such as trips to South Africa and Barbados that expand horizons, alongside encouragement to find employment and pursue personal goals.

Lyn said: “It’s a real honour to care for people with different needs and to provide compassion and stability in their lives. Shared Lives is a fantastic way to achieve this, and carers deserve recognition for the work they do.

“It’s a team effort with our social workers. Choices matter, and helping people take part in their community, enjoy work and have a sense of purpose is so important.

“There are challenges, but with great support we overcome them together. I hope the love and positivity we share will inspire others to join our amazing Shared Lives family.”

Councillor Tim Bearder, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care at Oxfordshire County Council, said: “Lyn embodies the very best of Shared Lives: compassion and the belief that everyone should have the chance to thrive in their community.

“Her decades of dedication have changed lives, and it’s fantastic to see Oxfordshire’s carers recognised on the national stage.

“My heartfelt thanks to Lyn, Adam and all our Shared Lives families for the difference they make every day.”

Oxfordshire County Council is always looking to recruit more Shared Lives carers. Read more about Shared Lives and how you can get involved.

ENDS

Sign up to hear from us and receive the latest news and updates in our fortnightly newsletter, Your Oxfordshire.

In partnership with Buckinghamshire New University, the scheme gives individuals already working within a social work setting the opportunity to gain the skills and values that are needed to become qualified social workers in a practical environment.

Melanie Pearce, Principal Social Worker in Adult Social Care at Oxfordshire County Council, explained: “Oxfordshire is one of a number of trailblazing organisations offering a new apprenticeship route into social work. These new apprentices will achieve a degree in social work whilst gaining essential on-the-job experience to develop the knowledge and skills required to be able to practice as social workers following their graduation.

“This is an exciting development, offering a route into practice that combines the best of real-life experience with the academic rigour of a university degree. We are pleased to have recruited some talented new apprentices within adult social care in partnership with Buckinghamshire New University who will be starting on their apprenticeship journeys in their new roles this month.”

Here some of the council’s first cohort of apprentices have been talking about their experiences, and what has led them to the scheme.

Meet Nicola

Nicola Wheat, 26, from Cowley works in the Learning Disability Community Connections Team in adult social care.

In May 2019 she moved to the Learning Disabilities Team, a county wide multi-agency role working predominantly with people living with a learning disability/autism. After being offered the social work apprenticeship Nicola will be returning to the Adult Social Care City Team.

Her apprenticeship allows her to continue in her role as a Social Work Coordinator, while also studying for her degree in social work.

“I feel like different events over the past few years have in themselves been signposting me in the direction of pursuing social work further. In studying the degree in social work I will gain a greater understanding of social problems, their causes, their solutions and the impacts these have while allowing me to obtain the skills I require to be successful in my chosen career path.” Nicola said.

“I am inspired by this quote by Sterling Woods, there is nothing more rewarding and satisfying than helping a client solve a problem or supporting them through a hard time in their life."

Meet Natt

Natt Webb is 33 years old and part of the Vale social care team.

Natt first started working in social care as an administrator, working closely with both social workers and occupational therapists in the team.

“Working with the social workers and occupational therapists, I found their work really interesting and rewarding. I was encouraged to apply for the Coordinator role after a year of admin work and have been in post for five years now” said Natt.

“There has been a lot of hard work and learning over these five years, and I owe a lot of thanks to those that have taken time out of their day to support me and help me learn along the way.

“I have developed a passion and interest for social work through my coordinator role and now want to progress my career to the next level.

“I applied for the apprenticeship with support from my team and was successful this year getting on to the course. I am really excited about the next three years and looking forward to the new challenges ahead.”

Natt and Nicola are part of the first cohort of social work apprentices with the council, alongside three apprentices who are working within children’s social care.

Melanie continued: “We are immensely proud of our home-grown apprentices. Apprenticeships are a great opportunity for everybody of all ages, and from all backgrounds, to retrain and enter a highly rewarding career in social care.

“Our scheme offers everyone flexibility to continue in their current role, while working towards the qualification – so is a great opportunity for anybody who might be interested in social work.

More information

Find out more about the social work apprenticeship scheme here.

Read more about apprenticeships at Oxfordshire County Council here.

Her placement is part of the wider 18-month Careers in Care project delivered by Oxfordshire County Council’s Oxfordshire Employment and Style Acre. It aims to support both people with a learning disability and those with wider health and disability needs to develop skills, and to find work within the Oxfordshire social care sector

Vicky, who is in her early thirties and from Wantage first joined the programme in July 2019 after expressing an interest in learning how to support others with learning disabilities.

Bubbly Vicky wanted to learn the right way to support someone with a variety of complex special needs and help in their development.

After many false starts looking for work and developing skills, she wanted something that would allow her to overcome her own mild disabilities and a flexible role in which she could learn at her own pace and gain confidence In the past she has experience of care but no formal qualifications, just a willingness to learn and adapt.

The programme brings together Oxfordshire Employment’s expertise in job coaching and supporting successful employment outcomes together with Style Acre’s ability to deliver bespoke work experience, learning and development within its own social care services and social enterprises.

In her time at placement, Vicky has learnt how to support others, she has almost completed her Level 1 Support Worker online training; and has completed a Level 2 in food safety.

She is now looking into government funded courses in health and social care to assist her with a qualification alongside her support role and is hopeful that her current placement will lead to paid work.

Sarah, project co-ordinator at Style Acre said:

“Vicky has an excellent rapport with the service users and is greatly missed by everyone when she takes some holiday time off she has learnt a great deal on programme and is always keen to learn more.”

The Careers in Care programme has been extended to 31 March 2021 to deliver more support opportunities.

Chris Ingram, Chief Executive at Style Acre said:

“Wellbeing seems to be a trendy word at the moment, but it has been a fundamental part of what we have focused on at Style Acre for a number of years. There is a lot of evidence to show how important a job can be for people’s wellbeing, which is why our work programme has become such an important focus for Style Acre.

“People with learning and other disabilities are hugely disadvantaged in the employment market and very few work within social care which is why this project done in collaboration with Oxfordshire Employment has been so important to us.

“The fact that we have been able to link it with our other enterprises like the garden project at Wantage has been a real benefit to everyone. The project has been a huge success and I would like to thank everyone at Style Acre, Oxfordshire Employment and our partners who have been part of the journey so far.”

Will Gardner, team manager at Oxfordshire Employment said:

“I’m delighted that the in-depth support provided has helped Vicky find a role that adds value for her and brings her superb skills into the sector. This is about bringing people closer to work, whether volunteering or through employment, but I’m confident that Vicky can join others we have supported through Careers in Care and gain paid employment”

“I am also delighted that we’ve been able to extend this project by another six months so that we can deliver even more opportunities to people across the county.”

More information

Find out more about the work of Oxfordshire Employment here.

Find out more about Style Acre and the work that they do across Oxfordshire here.

Leading Oxford University academic Emma Smith will be dropping in at Summertown and Cowley libraries to talk about the theme of death in Shakespeare’s time and in his plays, and visitors will be able to get up close to precious artefacts such as the 16^th century ‘Bills of Mortality’ which recorded burials in London.

Emma is a world-renowned Shakespeare expert who authenticated the recently discovered ‘First Folio’ of the Bard’s plays on the island of Bute. She is visiting the libraries in connection with the Bodleian library’s popular Shakespeare’s Dead exhibition.

Rare opportunity

Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Cultural Services Lorraine Lindsay-Gale said: “We’re delighted to be able to work with Professor Emma Smith with a rare opportunity to view precious historical items that are not normally on public display and to learn more about them. I would encourage everyone to go along to learn something new about Shakespeare and the historical context that helped to shape his work.”

Events:

Thursday 7 July, 2pm – 3pm

Shakespeare’s Dead Talk, Summertown Library, Emma Smith

Tuesday 12 July 11am - 12.00

Shakespeare’s Dead Talk, Cowley Library, Emma Smith

The cost of courses of three hours or more

• Schools - £50
• Settings  - £50
• Childminder - £20
• Out of County - £100
• EY offer - no charge
  (Ofsted judgement of Requires Improvement or Inadequate)

The cost of courses of less than three hours

• Schools - £25
• Settings  - £25
• Childminder  - £15
• Out of County  - £50
• EY offer - no charge 
  (Ofsted judgement of Requires Improvement or Inadequate)

A small number of courses and training events will fall outside the standard pricing model and will be individually priced (such as ‘Using ECERS research tool to support quality improvement’, ‘Childminder Training Day’)

Briefings, such as Childminder Pre-registration Briefing Sessions and The Common Inspection Framework (for Early Years) are free of charge for all Oxfordshire delegates.

Conferences fall outside the standard pricing model with one delegate rate for Oxfordshire practitioners and a higher rate for out of county bookings. Early Years offer does not apply.

For childminders with a Requires Improvement Ofsted judgement, Early Years offer only applies to those in receipt of Nursery Education Funding.

Early Years offer does not apply to buy-in training which is currently charged at £500 for six hours, £250 for three hours, or £85 per hour (minimum two hours).

In response to a decision by Schools Forum, from September 2016, only providers with an inadequate Ofsted judgement will qualify for free of charge Step into Training courses. Providers with a Requires Improvement judgement will continue to receive support visits from members of the Oxfordshire Early Years team.

Cancellation policy

Chargeable courses

In line with our cancellation policy, cancellations within three working days of the course date or failure to attend will not result in a refund. Schools and settings with a satisfactory or inadequate Ofsted judgement who are eligible for universal free training will incur a non-attendance fee of £25 if all sessions are not attended.

Cancellations must be via the delegate’s Oxfordshire CPD online account.

Free courses

In line with our cancellation policy, cancellations within three working days of the course date or failure to attend all sessions will incur a non-attendance fee of £25 for all schools and settings.

Cancellations must be via the delegate’s Oxfordshire CPD online account.