For Connectors (referrers)
This page is for anyone who wants to link with us or connect someone with our support. This is often called making a referral.
It is useful for anyone but is aimed at people who work in Health and Social Care. People like social prescribers, practice managers, social workers, support workers.
What is the Southwark Disability Hub?
Run by the charity KeyRing, the Disability Hub is an information, guidance and community engagement service for disabled residents in Southwark. People can get support over the phone, via email or in person. They can also find resources and signposting via the Disability Hub website.
What is on offer?
The Disability Hub offers support that aims to promote social inclusion, wellbeing and independent living for disabled residents:
1. Information and guidance
2. Community engagement
3. Independent living support
4. Support with Targeted Short Breaks
Information and guidance
For any disabled person in Southwark we can offer information and guidance about any aspect of life. It could be related to health, connection, leisure, looking after money, work or learning or any other area of living life.
We connected Dee with local college courses that suited her aims and offered adaptations.
Albie wanted to know what benefits he could get and we walked through the online forms with him. We also connected him with our local groups so he could meet some people.
We know about local and national opportunities for people so that we can offer a wide range of options to connect people with as well as giving them on the spot advice and guidance.
Our team has a range of experience in the sector and a wealth of knowledge. They are friendly and enthusiastic. Reaching out for some help can be a bit tricky but people will soon feel reassured when they speak with us.
Community engagement
The Disability Hub organises a wide range of person-centred groups, sessions and activities both on-site and locally in the area. We can also help disabled people to set up their own groups.
We work with local providers to promote their groups as well so that we can tap into lots of opportunities.
The aim of this service is to promote health, wellbeing and social interaction, reduce isolation and improve independence.
The Disability Hub also facilitates the Disability Forum.
For example, we hold digital inclusion workshops that can support people to explore adaptations and tools available. They can support people like Aleesha whose recent diagnosis of sight loss meant she was struggling to use her smartphone. She is being supported to explore apps and change the settings on her phone to make life easier and reduce reliance on friends and family. She speaks with others who are in a similar position to get their recommendations and share her experience.
Independent living support
This service is by referral from Adult Social Services only. It offers flexible support to individuals with learning disabilities to support them to live fulfilling lives in the community. This will be delivered through a mix of individual and group-based support.
Christian recently moved into his own flat after previously living with his parents. Christian has a learning disability and his social worker referred him to KeyRing’s independent living support. Christian and his support worker work on things together such as maintaining his tenancy, catching up on arrears, supporting his welfare benefits applications and attending GP appointments for his diabetes management. Christian also attends a regular group in the community with peers. The group is led by its members and covers a range of activities and interests.
Targeted short breaks
The Disability Hub is the key contact point for families and Targeted Short Breaks (TSB) providers, supporting the promotion of the TSB offer to families across the borough. TSB is an offer primarily consisting of activities and holiday plays chemes for 5–16-year-old Southwark residents with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) and 16–25-year-olds with SEND.
The Disability Hub is also the key contact point in relation to Parent Carer Needs Assessments (PCNAs).
Guidance surrounding Targeted Short Breaks can be accessed by parents and carers with a child living in Southwark or whose social worker is based out of Southwark Children’s Social Care.
Who can access the Southwark Disability Hub?
- The Disability Hub can be accessed by Southwark residents aged 18+ who are disabled or have a sensory impairment. This may include, but it is not limited to:
- People with a learning disability
- Autistic and neurodivergent people
- People with a physical impairment
- People with a sensory impairment, including those in the Deaf community
How can people contact the Southwark Disability Hub?
The Southwark Disability Hub is open 9am-5pm Monday-Friday.
By email: disabilityhub@keyring.org
By phone: 0203 457 7580
Via in person pre-booked appointments and group activities: The Southwark Resource Centre, 10 Bradenham Close, London, SE17 2QB.
For British Sign Language (BSL) users we have a dedicated member of staff who can communicate in BSL via video call or an in person appointment.
How can I refer people to the Southwark Disability Hub?
We would encourage residents to get in contact with us themselves, however, if a referral is more appropriate then you can email us at disabilityhub@keyring.org with the person’s name, contact details and a summary of what they would like support with. We will then be in touch with them directly.
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