1. Managing your own care
for the first time
The Right to Choice
The right of ‘choice’ is one of the most basic of human rights which we all expect out of life. For many years, disabled people have campaigned for this principle in one of the most important areas of their lives – the right of choice in the way they received care, support and assistance.
With the emergence of independent living schemes around the country and important changes in the law there have been significant shifts in attitude and in opportunities. Now there is recognition that disabled people have the right to live independently in the community, controlling their own care needs and making services work for them to create a more inclusive lifestyle.
Benefits from arranging things yourself
Having the opportunity to manage one’s own individual community care needs is so vitally important to many people. Taking on the responsibilities that go with it is an acceptable part of the bargain because they understand that it is the only way to gain personal independence and have personal preference. If managing your care for the first time seems like a very big step, then it is just that, but it brings with it long term benefits and advantages compared with having your life arranged by others.
Taking control of your care and support needs will mean organising your life so that you can make the most of what is available to you through your local authority and through central government. To develop your own independent lifestyle, you will inevitably need to think about recruiting and managing your own personal assistance rather than have it arranged for you. Until recently, this assistance was only available through Homecare services, arranged services from agencies and for others in the form of institutional care. The individual had virtually no say over who provided assistance, at what times of the day it was provided and the way in which it was provided. All this can change if you want it to.
Getting support for your independence
It took changes in the law, for ‘DirectPayments’to be possible. Now, they have opened up greater opportunities for disabled people’s independence and choice. Remember, you do not have to do everything alone. You can call on friends, family and others to assist you in taking things on. You also have the opportunity of formal help from theDewis Centre for Independent Living.
There has been recognition that in order to achieve success in managing one’s own care, many people would benefit from drawing upon the advice and assistance that might be available from a support scheme or organisation. Your local authority has recognised this fact. To ensure that their clients can have this support from an independent organisation, they have established a partnership with us, theDewis Centre for Independent Living. We are an independent, voluntary organisation grant-funded to provide a Direct Payments Support Scheme.
Our beliefs & your independence
TheDewis Centre for Independent living believes fully in promoting disabled people’s rights to independence through being in control of their lives. As such, we recognise the importance of community care in disabled people’s lives. If disabled people’s lives are to be fulfilling, dignified and inclusive then they must be allowed the freedom to make choices and to prioritise the way in which they receive care and support.
Community care can be the most intimate and personal aspect of one’s life and therefore deserves to be controlled by the person directly affected. Having control and power over community care needs can be vital in allowing disabled people to engage in other important activities e.g. employment, education, self-development, voluntary work, etc., apart from the personal dignity and the preference which it provides.
Direct Payments Support Scheme
The Direct Payments Support Scheme provides a comprehensive package of support to everyone who is referred to it. Within the organisation, there is a wealth of experience in all the issues involved in community care, in recruiting personal assistants and in employing staff. In a nutshell, the scheme focuses on the way in which disabled people can employ personal assistants to meet their community care needs.
You Develop Too!
Having the stance we have on disabled people’s rights and abilities, the support scheme which theDewis Centre for Independent Living offers is designed to empower disabled people. We aim to make users of direct payments decision-makers and to assist people to develop the skills and knowledge to go on successfully. If you want friends or family to assist you then they can be part of this process as well.
The scheme operates throughout different local authorities. Direct Payments Advisors can visit people at their home or at any pre-arranged office or suitable venue. Irrespective of where you live, there will be a Direct Payments Advisor who can be in touch with you. All Advisors use information and advice material from the Dewis Centre for Independent Living’s central resource base in Pontypridd. OurDirect Payment Advisors are able to advise and supply information to individuals, the voluntary sector and our partners in Community Care & Children’s Services.
Funding for personal assistance
In order to employ your own personal assistant (s) you will require funding. Disabled people who have received a needs led assessment from their local Social Services Department can now apply for Direct Payments. Briefly, this is a cash payment from your Local Authority every four weeks into a bank account set up by you especially for this money. It is a regular payment in place of arranged community care services. This money must then be used by the recipient to arrange his or her own services, normally as an employer of personal assistants (there is more in-depth information further on in this booklet on Direct Payments).
Whether the support you need is minimal or extremely large, the Direct Payments Support Scheme does not discriminate. The same services are available to everyone. Some comprehensive care packages involve both Community Care Services input in the form of Direct Payments and the government-funded Independent Living Fund (there is fuller information further on in this booklet on assessment processes and the Independent Living Fund). Such funding is for people with high care needs. Whatever, the extent of your needs, we can work with you towards the best way of planning your own independent living scheme.
We may be able to advise you on the best way forward, and play a supportive role, when establishing your community care needs with Social Services. This is the case whether you are referred to us by Care Managers or even if you have not yet been assessed by them. Though the ultimate responsibility lies with the Care Manager, we can assist you throughout the process in a variety of ways:
- Discussing the criteria for community care
- Ensuring that your full needs are taken into account
- Liaising with your local Social Care Office & Care manager
- Perhaps acting in the capacity of advocate
When your community care needs have been established, the Direct Payments Support Scheme can be used to take further steps towards your independent living plan. If using direct payments is the option you want then this might involve:
- Advising you on the responsibilities involved
- Working out an effective budget to manage the money
- Advice on setting wage rates
- Constructing a rota/number of employees required
- Assistance with writing a job description
- Advertising and interviewing support
Managing the Responsibilities
There are responsibilities involved in taking on direct payments and employing staff. However, they are not daunting and are not so difficult that they should prevent anyone from taking up direct payments. Remember the various ways in which you can have support. Think of the people who can help you run things. The success of direct payments in other authorities around the United Kingdom demonstrates how different people with different needs benefit from this option. The important thing to remember is that you have a support scheme which:
- can enable you and can train you
- it will provide you with all the necessary materials you need
- it is there to advise you along the way
- it has services you can take advantage of such as a payroll system
- it can back you up with ongoing support
For many people the management of money is the greatest concern in using Direct Payments and employing personal assistants. The support scheme is able to provide you with all the necessary information in relation to the legal responsibilities of being an employer such as tax, National Insurance contributions, employer’s liability insurance, holiday and sickness arrangements, employment contracts, etc. The support scheme will offer you information and training which will provide you with the necessary knowledge and skills to manage your own employed personal assistants effectively.
We are not here to make judgements; rather we are here to help, whether you are a person who looks forward to the challenge of managing your own personal assistant(s), or someone who is unsure or at very least looking for considerable support from an organisation like ours. We see our role as being a vital support mechanism to ensure that your own individual scheme works successfully. Even after you settle down into using Direct Payments, we will be there as a continual contact should you need to seek advice and further assistance.
Dewis CIL DP Support Scheme “Getting Started on DP” 08 13