If someone comes to your Safe Haven, it will be because something has gone wrong. They may have lost something, their bus hasn’t turned up or someone may have been unpleasant to them, there could be many reasons.
Here are a few simple tips we can use to support someone with a learning difficulty to communicate their needs.
- Remain calm
- Listen carefully and give them time to repeat if necessary what they want to say
- Ask what they would like you to do
- Reassure (They may want to sit down, they may need a hot or cold drink they may need to just talk for a while to calm down, or be quiet)
- If you are finding it difficult to understand what someone is saying, ask if you can look at their orange travel wallet. This will provide you with information and give you more contact details
- The person may want you to contact someone for them
- The person may want to contact someone themselves
- If the person has lost their travel wallet please use the contact list provided to support you contact someone
- If there has been an accident or theft contact the necessary emergency services