About United Response
For 35 years, United Response has worked to improve the lives of people with learning disabilities, pioneering care in the community long before it became a government mantra.
Before then the majority of people with learning disabilities were abandoned to large, long-stay institutions for most of their lives, often in appalling conditions. Determined to challenge this and to help people live more active and engaged lives Su Sayer, United Response's Chief Executive, set up our first supported living service in West Sussex in 1972.
Since then United Response has become a top 100 charity, supporting over 1,500 people throughout England and Wales, challenging prejudice and working extensively to break down barriers and help integrate people with learning disabilities, mental health needs and physical disabilities into society.
We have developed a wide range of diverse and specialised services, all built around individuals' needs. These include supported living, support for people with mental health needs, autistic spectrum disorders, sensory impairments, behaviours that challenge and supported employment. The support provided ranges from 24-hour support for people with complex needs to outreach support.
United Response has championed the development of more easily accessible information for people with learning disabilities, most recently setting up a specialist disability consultancy to raise awareness of accessibility issues. We launched the first ever independent research into the benefits of Person-centred Active Support, a ground-breaking method which allows people more independence, choice and control.
We have some 2,000 skilled staff who include everyone from support staff working directly with people we support to administrative roles providing expert backup in areas such as health and safety, finance and human resources. Our board of trustees is responsible for ensuring that we are managed well and are operating within our policies, our budget and the law.