Prospects are good to live life to the full
 A Christian charity which aims to provide physical, emotional and spiritual support in caring for people with learning disabilities is planning to expand its services in Norfolk. Liz Chorlton reveals the human story behind the charity.
In the early 1970s, David and Madeleine Potter were blessed with a delightful daughter Rachel who was born with Downs Syndrome. Even though Rachel was only a child then, they could not help wondering “What will happen to her when we are no longer around?”
They discovered this was a common question among Christian parents. David and Madeleine needed to feel confident they were leaving Rachel in the care of people who would provide her with a high standard of physical, emotional and spiritual support.
The support available then was very limited, so with a few other parents and supporters, they established the first residential service. From this small beginning the charity, now known as Prospects, has grown to provide a wide range of support, including supported living, residential care, day opportunities and spiritual support to access the good news of Jesus and to be included in church fellowships across the UK.
Prospects provides these services to people who wish to be supported in a Christian environment, including Rachel, who is still supported by Prospects.
Prospects values each individual, recognising their own value and talents. It aims to support people with learning disabilities with every aspect of life to enable real choices and fulfilled potential. We are committed to expressing Christian principles and values through high standards of professional practice, supporting and enabling adults with learning disabilities to live their lives to the full.
The Support Team at Prospects works with people so that they can live full lives as independently as possible. Working with each individual in a person-centred way, we aim to empower people to reach their potential, reviewing and adjusting support as necessary.
There are over 1.4 million people with learning disabilities in the UK; they are in every community, and they need to know that Jesus loves them. The Ministry team at Prospects provides advice, training and resource materials to equip churches for effective ministry and outreach among people dearly loved by God and often marginalised by society.
 We are planning to expand our services in Norfolk. We would love to see more churches being involved in the Ministry work of Prospects, making the good news of Jesus accessible to people with learning disabilities and to be able to benefit from the gifts and talents that these individuals have. We have had interest from parents who would like us to provide support with day-to-day living in Norfolk and would really like to talk to anyone who would like the kind of support we offer through our supported living and residential services and day activities.
Pictured above is Michael – an avid Canaries fan.
| 