If you would like to print our Family Charter, including the Easy Read version, please download the files.
Family Charter
MacIntyre is committed to ensuring that families understand MacIntyre and staff understand families. By adopting the values within the Family Charter, it will be clear to all staff on how to make sure that the best interactions are happening.
Good, honest communication will take place from the very start of the relationship between MacIntyre and families, so that people feel confident, safe, involved, respected and valued.
Our overall goal is to recognise the importance of this relationship between families and MacIntyre by appreciating each person’s unique history and family dynamic.
Good Communication
We will keep in touch with families and ensure that information is shared and that everyone understands. We will listen to hear what families tell us and consider our response, being not too quick to speak.
We will be clear on how we communicate and communicate in ways that make sense for each family. We will notice when things need to be said and support families with direct and clear pathways. We will encourage and support everyone to speak openly and honestly together and challenge limiting beliefs. We will involve families in decision-making where they wish to be involved.
Respect Families
We will show families that we care and deliver news with kindness. We will speak about people as if they were in the room with us and be a voice for people when they can’t be present.
Be Honest
We will have straight forward conversations and share as much information as we are able to. We won’t have all the answers, but we will work together to try and find a solution.
Work Together
We will get to know and understand each family, appreciating that each family and their needs are unique. We will always involve families when they wish to be involved. We will be creative in how we interact and actively encourage strong circles of support.
Keep Commitments
We will do what we say were going to do, keep in touch about actions and get back to people when we say we will, even if we don’t have the full answer. We will not over-promise and will let people know if things have to change.
Build Trust
We will focus having good and honest communication. Circles of support can be extended when everyone is happy to take the next step together.
Acknowledge Mistakes
We will work towards making things right when mistakes happen and communicate in a way that is easily understood and preferred. When things go wrong rather than looking for someone to blame, we will work with the family to resolve it.
Clear Expectations
We will review support throughout the year will ensure that the expectations for both families and staff are clear.
Improve Practice
We will learn new things, welcome ideas from families, expect and invite feedback and learn from this. We will listen to the worries and concerns of families as well as the positives.
More for families
More about how we work with families
3 Dec 2025
Highlighting 2025
Celebrating just a few of MacIntyre's 2025 highlights.
28 Aug 2025
Preparing for the future
If you support a loved one with a learning disability, sign up for our free programme which gives you the structure to plan for the future.
22 Apr 2025
Our commitment to families
MacIntyre's commitment to open and honest communication is set out in our Family Charter.
22 Apr 2025
The MacIntyre Podcast, Season 4, Episode 4
In conversation with Karen Gunn, daughter of our founders Ken and Marjorie Newton Wright, and Nicola Payne, our Health and Families Manager.