{"id":23331,"date":"2025-04-24T12:52:06","date_gmt":"2025-04-24T11:52:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.devon.gov.uk\/children-families-education\/?page_id=23331"},"modified":"2025-08-04T16:10:18","modified_gmt":"2025-08-04T15:10:18","slug":"daily-living-skills","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.devon.gov.uk\/children-families-education\/send-local-offer\/preparing-for-adult-life-ages-14-25-years\/living-independently\/daily-living-skills\/","title":{"rendered":"Daily living skills"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">These skills are essential for maintaining a clean, safe, and healthy living environment. They also help build confidence and independence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.independentlivingcentre.org.uk\/equipment-advice\/\" rel=\"noopener\">The Independent Living Centre<\/a> can help you to find equipment solutions that will support you with all the daily living skills described below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You might also find the resources from our recent\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.devon.gov.uk\/children-families-education\/send-local-offer\/preparing-for-adult-life-ages-14-25-years\/transitions-support-sessions\/independent-living-and-housing-options\/\">transitions support session on independent living and housing options<\/a>\u00a0useful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Personal hygiene<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Hygiene is an important factor in everyone&#8217;s physical and mental health. Some of the main things to think about include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>bathing and showering &#8211; understanding the importance of regular bathing, how to use soap and shampoo, and maintaining cleanliness<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>oral care &#8211; brushing teeth twice a day, flossing, and regular dental check-ups &#8211; see these <a href=\"https:\/\/www.healthforteens.co.uk\/health\/looking-after-your-body\/3-tips-for-healthy-teeth\/\" rel=\"noopener\">three tips for healthy teeth<\/a> <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>hair care &#8211; washing, combing, and styling hair<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>nail care &#8211; trimming nails and keeping them clean<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Take a look at this <a href=\"https:\/\/www.healthforteens.co.uk\/health\/looking-after-your-body\/personal-hygiene-checklist\/\" rel=\"noopener\">personal hygiene checklist on the Health for Teens website<\/a> for more advice about how to keep on top of your personal hygiene.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Healthy eating and food safety<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Meal planning<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Meal planning is a great way to ensure you eat a balanced diet, save time, and reduce food waste. By planning your meals in advance, you can make healthier food choices and avoid the temptation of unhealthy options.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Healthy eating<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Take a look at these resources intended to provide information and advice about eating a healthy and balanced diet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nhs.uk\/live-well\/eat-well\" rel=\"noopener\">NHS &#8211; Eat well<\/a><br>This guide is a great place for young people to start learning about which foods are best for them and how to make healthy choices. It features advice on:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nhs.uk\/live-well\/eat-well\/how-to-eat-a-balanced-diet\/\" rel=\"noopener\">how to eat a balanced diet<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nhs.uk\/live-well\/eat-well\/food-guidelines-and-food-labels\/\" rel=\"noopener\">food guidelines and food labels<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nhs.uk\/live-well\/eat-well\/how-to-eat-a-balanced-diet\/eight-tips-for-healthy-eating\/\" rel=\"noopener\">eight tips for healthy eating<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.healthforteens.co.uk\/lifestyle\/nutrition-diet\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Health for Teens &#8211; nutrition and diet<\/a><br>A wide-range of guidance and videos including advice on making healthy choices and food and drink myth busting. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Food safety<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here are some key points to remember:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Cleanliness: Always wash your hands before and after handling food. Clean your cooking surfaces and utensils regularly to avoid cross-contamination.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Proper storage: Store food at the right temperature and keep raw meat, poultry, and seafood separate from other foods in your fridge.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Cooking: Cook food to the right temperature to kill harmful bacteria &#8211; use a food thermometer to check if your food is cooked properly.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Use-by dates: Pay attention to use-by dates on food packaging &#8211; eating food past its use-by date can increase the risk of food poisoning.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Leftovers: Store leftovers in the fridge and eat them within a few days &#8211; reheat them thoroughly before eating.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Food Standards Agency has provided <a href=\"https:\/\/www.food.gov.uk\/safety-hygiene\/student-guide-to-food-safety-and-hygiene\" rel=\"noopener\">a guide about food safety and hygiene<\/a> for young people who may be living away from home for the first time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Cleaning and household chores<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Chores are important because they help keep our homes clean and safe. They also teach us responsibility and independence. Plus, doing chores can be a great way to spend time with family and learn new skills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Getting started<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here are some simple steps to help you get started with household chores:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Make a list: Write down the chores you need to do &#8211; this can include tasks like dusting, vacuuming, washing dishes, and laundry.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Set a schedule: Decide when you will do each chore &#8211; you can do some chores daily, like making your bed, and others weekly, like cleaning the bathroom.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Gather supplies: Make sure you have all the cleaning supplies you need, like a vacuum cleaner, dust cloths, and cleaning sprays.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Tips<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here are some tips to make chores easier and more fun:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Start small: Begin with easy tasks, like picking up toys or wiping down surfaces.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Use a timer: Set a timer for each chore &#8211; this can help you stay focused and make the task feel more manageable.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Play music: Listen to your favourite songs while you clean &#8211; music can make chores more enjoyable.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Ask for help: It&#8217;s okay to ask family members for help if you need it &#8211; working together can make chores quicker and more fun.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>These skills are essential for maintaining a clean, safe, and healthy living environment. They also help build confidence and independence. The Independent Living Centre can [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":0,"parent":22934,"menu_order":5,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"class_list":["post-23331","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-07-02 02:41:58","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.devon.gov.uk\/children-families-education\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/23331","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.devon.gov.uk\/children-families-education\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.devon.gov.uk\/children-families-education\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.devon.gov.uk\/children-families-education\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.devon.gov.uk\/children-families-education\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23331"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.devon.gov.uk\/children-families-education\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/23331\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":70902,"href":"https:\/\/www.devon.gov.uk\/children-families-education\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/23331\/revisions\/70902"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.devon.gov.uk\/children-families-education\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/22934"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.devon.gov.uk\/children-families-education\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23331"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}