TRACY DATE: SUPPORTED LIVING DEVELOPMENT MANAGER
My name is Tracy Date and I am the Supported Living Development Manager in Cornwall. I have worked in a variety of roles over the last 18 years across both residential and day services and held positions in provider organisations across all sectors. I have also been involved in a number of trans-national European projects.
I first came to the field of learning disabilities when I began work in residential services, resettling people from long stay hospitals. I then moved on to develop innovative community based day services for people within the Bristol area. Since then I have led the development of vocational and academic education curricula for adults with learning disabilities across Unitary Authorities in partnership with Further Education colleges. I have also worked with young people from a variety of European countries developing software and training for employment and have led a number of European initiatives supporting people with disabilities to work and study across Europe.
Currently I am part of the new Cornwall Management Team. I have a strong belief that people with learning disabilities should have the same rights as the rest of us. Partcularly in relation to how and where they live. The people we support in Cornwall are tenants living in their own homes. This is crucial because it enables people to have long-term stability in where they live and gives them legal control in their own personal circumstances. In addition to my operational role I am also a trainer for Brandon Trust working alongside the people we support to develop training programmes for staff and people who use our services.
As a result of my experience the focus of much of my consultancy work is on community development, inclusive education, modernisation of Community Support Services, transitions development and person centred approaches to service design.
