Vulnerable young adults kept safe with new card scheme (From Clacton and Frinton Gazette)

Vulnerable young adults with learning disabilities kept safe with new card scheme

1:00pm Sunday 29th April 2012 in North Essex By Helen Barnett

Young adults with learning disabilities will be safeguarded in public with the help of a new card.

The Keep Safe Card, developed by Tendring Council, offers telephone facilities to people with a learning disability, who are in trouble or distress around town.

Shops, businesses and other venues will display a yellow "Keep Safe" sticker to show they belong to the initiative and users will carry key contact numbers on "Keep Safe" cards or key rings to enable them to reach help.

The project is aimed at making people more aware of their personal safety, to feel confident outside of home, and to seek help if they need it. It will also make it easier for those providing assistance to access support for the card user.

The scheme, funded by Tendring Community Safety Partnership will be launched in Clacton on June 20, with hopes to roll it out to Harwich, Dovercourt, Frinton and Walton later in the year.