In response to your item on Sheema Luca and her difficulty accessing services for her son (Speaking Out, April 17), I am writing to let you know that Waltham Forest Carers Association has recently taken on a children’s advocacy worker.

This member of staff, Sarah Rush, will be employed to support the parents and carers of children with disabilities and will work two days a week on behalf of local people to help them secure appropriate health and social care for the children they look after and support them in their caring role.

Waltham Forest Carers Association provides free information, advice and support to unpaid carers in Waltham Forest.

Commissioned by the local authority to provide these services to adults caring for adults, we have recently also secured funding from the Lloyds Bank Foundation to extend our advocacy service to adult carers of children.

This means that we can support the parents and guardians of children with disabilities, speak on their behalf when in dispute or difficulty with health and social services, assist with making complaints and help carers to ensure children’s needs are being met.

Sarah starts this week and will work Monday mornings, Thursday mornings and all day on Fridays.

She can be reached at Waltham Forest Carers Association on 020 8556 0857 or at info@walthamforestcarers.com.

More information about the association is available on our website, www.walthamforestcarers.com.

Jem Wright,
Information and
communications,
Waltham Forest Carers Association.