A Northallerton and the Dales Mencap Society gives help, advice and support to people who have a learning disability, their families and their carers in the Hambleton and Richmond areas of North Yorkshire.

A The age range of people who have a learning disability is 18 and over but we do help people who are 14 and over in transition from school to an adult life.

A Our Local Mencap Society used to be a membership organisation but the committee recently agreed to change that. It has been agreed that anyone we help and also anyone who supports us is a member of the group in line with the Constitution. Of course we welcome any donations towards our work.

A At age 14 young people enter into the first stages of their transition to an adult life.  Usually Social Services and health professionals get involved with finding out what the person wants to do in the future.  Parents and carers are also involved in this process along with the school staff helping to make the transition as smooth as possible.

A There are quite a few different providers in the area we cover including Mencap, Wilf Ward, St. John of God, Avalon and more.  You will need to talk to your Social Worker about the specific needs of your son/daughter to find out more about what each provider can offer to meet those needs.  Sometimes there are choices of out of area accommodation if the right place is not available locally.

A We have a range of groups that run at the Goosecroft Centre.  We have Monday Club, Goosecroft Arts, Drop In, Lunchables and Goosecroft Pickers. More details are on the About Us page.

We always advise that people contact their local Citizens Advice Bureau who have qualified advisers who can help with completing forms and guiding you in the right direction when claiming benefits.