My Life - It s About me. A guide to Self Directed Support and Personal Budgets

Transcription

1 My Life - It s About me A guide to Self Directed Support and Personal Budgets Urdu ''یئامنہر کیا یک)رایتخا ںیم ددم ینپا ) ٹروپس ڈٹکیرئاڈ فلیس'' Polish Przewodnik po programie samodzielnego wyboru form pomocy społecznej Bengali "স ব-অভ ম খ সহ যত প একট ন র দ শ ক " Cantonese 自 我 管 理 支 持 的 指 南

2 This information may be provided in other languages and formats upon request including large print, Braille and in audio. Please contact: Darlington Borough Council Adult Social Care and Housing Public Information Team Central House Gladstone Street Darlington DL3 6JX or Tel:

3 Contents Introducing Self Directed Support and Personal Budgets 1 Step 1: Supported Self Assessment Questionnaire (SSAQ) 2 Step 2: Support Planning 5 Step 3: Having the Plan Agreed 10 Step 4: Managing the Budget 12 Step 5: Setting up the Support 16 Step 6: Being Accountable 18 Step 7: Enjoying life - Review 21 Glossary 23 Useful contacts 27

4 My life - It s about me Introducing Self Directed Support and Personal Budgets You are the best person to say what s right for you. A Personal Budget gives you choice and control of what social care support and services you have. This is what the Government call Self Directed Support. With a Personal Budget, your money can be spent more creatively if it meets your goals, allowing you live your life to the full! A Personal Budget is money from Darlington Borough Council (DBC) that you spend on support and services. This can give people more options if they don t wish to have a traditional adult social care package. For the first time people who receive services or support can see clearly how much money they have to spend and choose how it is spent. A Personal Budget can be used very flexibly and creatively to meet your goals and give you much more choice over what services or support you choose and what you do to remain as independent as possible. This guide will take you through the 7 steps to having a Personal Budget and provide useful contacts for services and support. There are some words that are not in everyday use, which are underlined in red. An explanation of these words can be found in the Glossary at the end of this guide (page 23) 1

5 Step one Supported Self Assessment Questionnaire Step 1 Supported Self Assessment Questionnaire (SSAQ) The first step to getting a Personal Budget is completing a Supported Self Assessment Questionnaire (SSAQ). Over time everyone who needs Adult Social Care will be offered a Personal Budget, except in the following situations: People in crisis situations Safeguarding Adults People being referred to an Approved Mental Health Professional People receiving Intermediate Care People being assessed for, and receiving Continuing Health Care funding People with Mental Health problems (currently under Care Programme Approach 117) Referrals for Occupational Therapy and Sensory Support assessments People who are living in extra care housing unless they have an additional care package People living in resdential/nursing homes The SSAQ includes 10 questions about your life, what support you already have from family/friends, what kind of support you need and most importantly what your goals are. You can fill out the SSAQ on your own, with your circle of support (see page 4) or with your Supporting Officer from Adult Social Care. Each question has a number of answers which will get you points. You tell us what your situation is and complete the What I think column. Your Supporting Officer will discuss your assessment with you and complete the what my Supporting Officer thinks column. Once you have both reached an agreement on each question your Supporting Officer will work out your likely Indicative Personal Budget by adding up the points from the answers to each question. 2

6 Step one Supported Self Assessment Questionnaire There is a box after each question for you to tell us anything else about your answer that you think is important. So, if I just pick the answer with the highest score I will get the most money? Your Supporting Officer will discuss your assessment with you and come to an agreement with you, if there are differences of opinion. They will also make sure it is an accurate view of your situation. The answers that you choose should be an accurate reflection of your situation. What happens after my points are added up? Your Supporting Officer will be able to tell you your likely Indicative Personal Budget at this stage. When you know this amount of money you will be able to write your support plan. To find out how much money you are entitled to we use a Personal Budget Calculator. What is a Personal Budget Calculator (PBC)? This is how we calculate your Personal Budget. Each point equals an amount of money that you may receive to spend on your social care support. Will I have to pay anything? We work out what people over the age of 18 have to pay for the support they receive to make sure that everyone is treated fairly. To do this a financial assessment will need to be completed to work out how much you can afford to contribute towards the cost of your support. One of our Visiting Financial Assessment Officers will arrange to visit you to work out what this amount will be. To work out the amount we will look at your income, expenditure and savings. If you have savings over 23,250* you may be expected to meet the full cost of your social care support. Please see the Charges for Services leaflet for further information. If you have to make a contribution to the cost of your support you will be sent a bill every 4 weeks from the Council and you will need to pay this amount. 3 * Figure correct at time of going to print (April March 2011)

7 Step one Supported Self Assessment Questionnaire It is a condition of your Direct Payment Agreement, which is the contract between you and the Council, that you will make this contribution to the cost of your support. You can download a Supported Self Assessment Questionnaire from the Self Directed Support section of the Adult Social Care website: Alternatively you can get one from your Supporting Officer or by calling , or from Adult Social Care, Central House, Gladstone Street, Darlington, DL3 6JX. What is my Circle of Support? This is a group of people who know you well, who you like and trust, and who respect you. It can be your family, parents, sisters or brothers or partner. It could be your friends, people you know from work or who live near you. It could be an advocate (An advocate is someone who supports you to make sure your views are heard). It could be staff or other people paid to help you. Your circle of support should include people who are involved because they care enough about you to give their time and energy to helping you overcome obstacles and explore options which are open to you. 4

8 Step two Support Planning You can choose to do your own Support Plan or get help from others What should my support plan look like? Step Two: support planning Once you know how much your Indicative Personal Budget will be, you will need to write a support plan to show how you will spend your money to meet your social care support needs as shown in your Supported Self Assessment Questionnaire. Why do I need a support plan? A support plan describes how you will use your Personal Budget to achieve your goals. You will need to show Darlington Borough Council this, before the plan can be agreed. It should include what you want to change and what you need to do to make those changes happen, to have the life you want. A support plan does not have to be in any particular format. Your support plan can include photos or just text or you can present it in any way that is suitable for you. You can even do your support plan on a DVD! Your Supporting Officer can give you an example of a support plan which you can use if you wish. How can I get help to write my support plan? If you are unable to write the plan yourself then you can choose someone to help you with it. You can have help from your Circle of Support (see page 4). Service provider - You can ask someone from a day centre or other service to assist you to write your plan if you feel they would be helpful to you. Some services have a number of people who have been trained to help you with your plan. You will need to ask if your service has someone who is able to do this. You can ask an advocacy organisation to help you.* 5

9 Step two Support Planning You can ask someone from Adult Social Care to help you. * See useful contacts section on page 27 What do I put in my support plan? There are 7 things that must be in your support plan so that Adult Social Care are able to agree it: 1. Who you are What is important to you, and for you including people, places and routines as well as your support needs. 2. What your plans are for the future What do you want to change and what needs to stay the same. 3. What support you will need to do what you want say exactly what support you want to achieve your outcomes, when you need it, how you want it provided and by whom. Think about your plans for the future and how you can stay in control of your life. 4. How you will stay healthy, safe and well How will you manage any risks that may place you or others at risk of harm. 5. How you will stay in control of your life say how you will self direct your support. If other people make decisions for you, the support plan should say how you have been involved and that you have agreed to the plan. 6. How your support will be managed explain how your support is going to be organised on a day to day basis and who is going to look after and be responsible for the money. If you are planning to employ staff you should say how this will be organised. 7. What the cost of your social care support is. The Supported Self Assessment Questionnaire that you completed with your Supporting Officer has 9 essential outcomes - the things you need support with. Your Supporting Officer will explain to you the essential outcomes that you must think about. Your support plan must say what support you will get for each of the 9 essential outcomes. 6

10 Step two Support Planning You can include things in your support plan that don t cost money and other things that you are planning to pay for yourself. You must say what will happen if your circumstances change. There may be times when you might need to change some of your support and services without checking with your Supporting Officer. What if I need to change my support plan? You can change your support plan without checking it with your Supporting Officer if; It is a small change. For example swapping times of support, or if you need extra support around the house if you are ill It doesn t put you at increased risk of harm It can be afforded from your Personal Budget. Some changes may need to be agreed with your Supporting Officer. These include if; You want to change a lot of your support The changes might be more risky for you You can t afford to pay for the changes from your Personal Budget. If you think that your needs have changed then you should ask your Supporting Officer to reassess your needs. If they agree, your Personal Budget may need to be recalculated. What can I do with my money? We have listed a few examples of what people have spent their Personal Budget on. As you will see they are very different. A Personal Budget means you can spend the money how you want to meet the social care needs and goals identified in your support plan. For example you can spend your money on; A personal assistant or support worker Buying support from an agency or organisation Paying expenses for unpaid helpers; for example bus fares, petrol money Holidays. Instead of a short break stay you might want to pay for a supported holiday 7

11 Step two Support Planning Enrol on an adult learning class Buy gym membership/join a sports club Transport Equipment to help keep you safe such as a personal call system, smoke detectors, fall detectors or a mobile phone. You can get more information on this from Darlington Borough Council, Lifeline Service, Town Hall, Darlington Telephone: You can also give legal rewards to people who may help you out. This could mean doing something for them in return, buying a meal or treat them etc. This should not be more than 1% of your Personal Budget. The things that you cannot spend your money on are; Things that do not help you achieve the goals outlined in your support plan Things that do not improve your life You can make small changes to your Support Plan without checking it with your Supporting Officer. Healthcare needs that should be met by the National Health Service (NHS) Support agencies that are not registered as domiciliary care agencies with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) if you need personal care Illegal activities Any activity that is against the law, including not paying the minimum wage, not registering someone you employ with Revenue and Customs, giving people cash in hand Gambling Employing someone who you know could place you at risk of harm Cigarettes or alcohol for yourself Second hand equipment that has been purchased from an auction (including on-line sales such as ebay) Equipment that does not meet the required standards or using equipment where the people using it are not trained. 8

12 Step two Support Planning Your Personal Budget can be spent as creatively as you want as long as it is legal, keeps you healthy, safe and well, and must help you achieve your goals as agreed in your support plan. Risk When you are writing your support plan, you will need to think about anything in your support plan that may put you or the people around you at risk. This does not mean that your support plan will not be agreed, but you need to show that you understand the risks and what the consequences might be. How will you keep safe and well? This will help you think about what you need to put in your support plan to show how you will be kept safe and well. Be specific about anything that could cause you harm Pay attention to problems that have happened before. For example you should think about: - Are there people that you don t feel safe around? - Are you at risk of falls or accidents? - Are you safe in your home when you are cooking or bathing etc.? - Could you contact someone if there was an emergency? Identify anything you can do to reduce or remove the risk of harm. Think of a range of things. Be imaginative. For example; - Equipment such as a personal alarm or mobile phone - Making physical changes to your home to make it safer - Get training for you or the people supporting you - Make sure you know who to contact in an emergency. Talk to your family, friends and circle of support or anyone helping you with the support plan for their point of view. Write in your support plan the actions you will take and how you are going to use your Personal Budget to achieve this. 9

13 Step three Having the plan agreed Step 3 Having the plan agreed Once you have written your support plan it has to be agreed by Darlington Borough Council before you will receive your money. The support plan forms a contract between you and Darlington Borough Council. If the support plan has everything in it that the Council needs to see, it is likely to be agreed by your Supporting Officer. For your support plan to be agreed it must contain the following: What you want to change in your life and what needs to stay the same. These are known as outcomes. What support you need to achieve these outcomes, when you need it and how you will manage any risks. What your support will cost for the year. How you want to receive your Personal Budget such as a Direct Payment or the Council arranging support for you. How your support will be organised and who will manage the money. How you will stay in control of your life. If you have needs that could mean you are at risk of getting hurt, your support plan will need to show how you will spend your money to keep safe and well. What if my Plan is not agreed? If you, your circle of support and your Supporting Officer cannot agree about an item in the support plan or the risks, there is a Solutions Panel that you can refer to. The Solutions Panel will be made up of senior managers from Adult Social Care and you will be able to attend with a member of your family or someone that you choose. You can also have your advocate present if you wish. If there are concerns that your support plan will not help to keep you safe, the Safeguarding Adults Team Manager may also be present. The Solutions Panel will meet quickly to give you a decision. If they are able to find a suitable solution to the risk(s), the plan will be amended and agreed. 10

14 Step three Having the plan agreed The Solutions Panel The types of things the Solutions Panel might be needed for are complex health needs health and safety issues conflicting opinions of family members. Taking risks can give you the chances to be more independent, confident and in control of your own life. If you do not agree with the decision of the Solutions Panel, you will be able to use the Adult Social Care complaints procedure to ask for your case to be looked at again. More information on the Complaints Procedures can be found in the Complaints, Compliments and Comments leaflet or in the Compliments and Complaints section of the Council s website by using the following link 11

15 Step four Managing the Budget Step 4 Managing the budget How do I pay for support using my Personal Budget? There are different ways to pay for support using your Personal Budget. You can choose one of the ways below. a) A Direct Payment b) Directly Managed Support (see note overleaf) c) A mixture of the above a) Direct Payment A Direct Payment can be made: Straight to you - you will need to open a separate bank account for the money to be paid into and be responsible for the money and pay for your support. You will need to keep records of how you spend the money. You can nominate someone to do this for you. To an Agent - the money is paid to someone who agrees to act for you. Your Agent spends the money on support to meet your needs. An Agent could be a family member or friend or anyone else that you choose. This might be a good option if you do not want to receive the money yourself. See page 14 for more information on managing your money if you are not able to make your own decisions. To a Trust which is set up to act for you - you can choose to set up a Trust to receive your Personal Budget as a Direct Payment. You cannot be a Trustee, but you should always be consulted on how the money is spent. A Trust can be made up of people who have your best interests at heart. This might be a good option if you are not able to manage the Direct Payment yourself. Your Direct Payment will be paid to you every 4 weeks. 12

16 Step four Managing the Budget b) Directly Managed Support If you decide not to receive a Direct Payment and instead decide to have support arranged by the Council this is know as Directly Managed Support. There are 2 ways that your support can be directly managed. Adult Social Care will arrange or provide your support on your behalf. You will still be able to choose how you want to be supported. They will look after the money for you but will not charge a fee for this. However, if you choose this option you will be limited to choosing support from support providers who the Council contracts with and if required are registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC). If you choose this the cost of your support may be cheaper as the Council may have agreed a lower price with the provider. Individual Service Fund (ISF) This means that a service provider will manage your money to provide a service just for you. The service provider you choose will keep your money and set up an account for you. Some providers may charge a management fee for this which you will need to pay from your Personal Budget, but the rest of the money is only spent on support for you. Your support will be specially designed with you and set up to meet your needs. This option is currently being developed with service providers and not all providers will be able to offer you this service. c) A mixture of a) and b) You can also decide to have your Personal Budget using a mixture of the options set out in a) and b). You might want to do this if you have not had a Direct Payment before but want to try it out for a small part of your support, whilst the Council continues to directly manage the rest of your Personal Budget for you. Whichever of the above options that you choose, you will be asked to sign an agreement form. This form sets out clearly both you and the Council s roles and responsibilities. Your Supporting Officer will assist you to complete the form and make sure that you understand it. 13

17 Step four Managing the Budget Who manages my money if I cannot make my own decisions? Some people, such as those with severe learning disabilities or a brain injury may lack capacity to agree to receiving a Direct Payment. If you lack capacity to make this decision: Your Supporting Officer will talk to the people in your support network to decide if a Direct Payment is your best option. If a Direct Payment is your best option, your Supporting Officer will ask your formal representative, if you have one, if they are willing to receive and manage your budget. If they do not agree, another suitable person, agreed by your Supporting Officer, can take on this role. The Supporting Officer needs to be sure that they will act in your best interests, are able to manage a Direct Payment and can get support if they need it. Adult Social Care will need a Police Check often known as a CRB (Criminal Records Bureau) check for the suitable person before they can manage your Direct Payment. A Police check is preferred but not compulsory if this person is a friend or family member already providing support to you. The suitable person must obtain Police checks from anyone they buy services from, if they are not a family member or friend already providing support. The Direct Payments Support Service can assist with these checks. The suitable person must inform your Supporting Officer if they think you have gained or regained capacity to make your own decisions. You should be allowed to receive a Direct Payment and manage your money when you have the capacity to do so. Will I have to contribute towards the cost of my support? Before you get your Personal Budget, an assessment will be carried out to see if you can afford to make a contribution towards the cost of your support. If you can afford to do this, you will be asked to pay a weekly contribution. Adult Social Care will work out how much this will be, and you will be sent a bill every 4 weeks to pay this money to the Council. This is a condition of the Direct Payment Agreement Form/Directly Managed Support Agreement Form that you will need to sign before you receive any money. 14

18 Step four Managing the Budget You can use your own money to top up your Direct Payment if you wish to buy extra hours or additional support to those agreed in your support plan. If you have to pay the full cost of your support, you will not receive a Direct Payment. However, you can still get support from your Supporting Officer or the Direct Payments Support Service if you arrange your own support independently. Will Adult Social Care want to know what I m doing with my money? Whichever way you receive your Direct Payment you will have to provide some information to Adult Social Care about how you spend your money. Your Supporting Officer will tell you exactly what you need to show to us when your plan is agreed. You will need; A separate bank account for your Personal Budget received as a Direct Payment To keep information on how you have spent your money, including bank statements and receipts for items over 50 To keep copies of wage slips if you employ your own staff To complete a form to show how you have spent your money if your Supporting Officer thinks this may be useful. Adult Social Care will ask what you are spending your Personal Budget on at least once a year, but more frequently when you first start. The Direct Payment Support Service will be able to assist you with completing these returns. Their contact details are on page 30 of this guide. 15

19 Step five Setting up the Support Step 5 Setting up the Support 1. You can recruit your own staff You can use an agency such as the Direct Payments Support Service to help you with this. Their contact details are on page 30 of this guide. They can give you information and support on employing your own staff including; Job descriptions Contracts of employment Insurance Recruitment Health and safety Police checks Timesheets Training for Personal Assistants Advice and support if things go wrong Local organisations may be able to help find resources and support that meet your needs. 2. Choose from existing service providers You can get a list of personal care and support providers who are registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) from their website (see Useful Contacts on page 28). Other providers of support who do not need to be registered (because they do not provide personal hands-on care) can be found in the phone book or on the internet, and may also advertise in the local press. 16

20 Step five Setting up the Support You may have friends and family who can help you find what you need. 3. Pay a broker to organise support for you A broker is a person who can assist you to plan and organise support using your Direct Payment. There are a number of ways you can get help with brokerage: Peer Support - Other families who have experience of Direct Payments can help you get the support you need. A User-Led-Organisation (ULO) - Organisations such as Darlington Association on Disability (DAD) led by disabled people and who already provide advice and support, will also be able to provide brokerage. Local voluntary and community organisations - Local organisations such as advocacy organisations may be able to help find resources and support that meet your needs. (See useful contacts at the end of this guide) Independent broker - Independent brokers can find and arrange community resources and support that meets your needs. However, they may charge for this service. There are no independent brokers working in Darlington at present but this may change in the near future. Support Services - You can ask someone who works for a support service to help you organise your support if you wish. However, they may not be as independent as some options. Family and friends - You may have family and friends who can help you find what you need. Darlington Borough Council staff - Adult Social Care Staff are able to help you find out about and arrange support. 17

21 Step six Being Accountable Step 6 Being Accountable As Personal Budgets are public funds Darlington Adult Social Care has to account for how they are spent. If you have chosen to have your Personal Budget as a Direct Payment you must show how you are using your money to achieve your agreed outcomes, as set out in your support plan. This is explained in more detail in your Direct Payment Agreement Form. If you have chosen to have a Direct Payment or if someone receives the Direct Payment on your behalf, records must be kept showing how the money is spent. You will need to send these records to Adult Social Care when asked to do so. The Direct Payment Support Service can assist you to set up systems to manage your paperwork. To provide the records we need you will be required to: 1. Open a separate bank account 2. Pay your bills 3. Send your records to Adult Social Care 4. Manage your money 1. Open a separate bank account To receive your Personal Budget, you will need a separate bank account. You can also use this account for payments from related funders such as the Independent Living Fund, Supporting People, Access to Work, Disabled Facilities Grant, or funding for community equipment (such as a wheelchair or walking frame). If you have problems opening a separate bank account, let the Direct Payments Support Service know. They can advise you on the type of bank account you need to open and options that local banks can offer. You can choose a family member or close friend to open a separate bank account for your Direct Payment and to manage the account under your direction. You can pay another organisation to provide this service. If you have more than one bank account, please write Direct Payment on all cheque books or records relating to your Direct Payment account, to ensure you do not confuse this account with other accounts. 18

22 Step six Being Accountable 2. Pay your bills You should pay all Direct Payment-related bills by cheque, bank transfer or internet banking to record how you spend your money. Only in exceptional circumstances are cash payments permitted for employment costs, for example wages, tax, National Insurance payments. If you or your decision-maker becomes an employer, you must pay tax and National Insurance. Payroll companies can do this on your behalf. The Direct Payments Support Service can give you more information on becoming an employer. If you need to make a financial contribution towards your Personal Budget, you will need to pay this to Adult Social Care, when they send you a bill every 4 weeks. You can only use your Direct Payment for services and support to meet the agreed personal goals/outcomes as detailed in your support plan. If you are not sure what you can spend your money on please check with your Supporting Officer or the Direct Payment Support Service, before you spend it on something you are not sure about. 3. Send your records to Darlington Adult Social Care The records that the Direct Payments Finance Officer asks you for and how often you send them will be based on: the amount of your Direct Payment how complex your budget is to manage the amount of family /other support you have to manage the money your ability and confidence in managing the money. Your Supporting Officer will let you know how often you will need to send in your documents. The Direct Payments Support Service can help you think about any additional support you may need to manage your records. 19

23 Step six Being Accountable 4. Managing your money If you don t spend all the money in your Direct Payment bank account, you may be asked to pay some of it back. You must let Adult Social Care know in advance if you are saving some of your Direct Payment to buy additional services or support. A decision on what you have to repay will be made with you, usually at a review meeting. We will make sure that you have enough money in your account for bills, expenses and emergency costs. This is usually the equivalent of eight weeks of your Direct Payment. If you wish to spend your Direct Payment on something different to anything agreed in your support plan, you will need to check this with your Supporting Officer to make sure it meets your personal goals/outcomes. Please let your Supporting Officer know if your needs are going to change or have changed. Then we can review your support plan and change the amount of your Personal Budget and what you spend it on. If you spend your Direct Payment on something that has not been agreed in your support plan and will not meet your personal goals/outcomes, or is illegal, you may be asked to pay this money back to Adult Social Care. We will always work with you and your chosen decision maker to sort out any problems you may have with managing your Direct Payment. These discussions will usually take place at review meetings. Adult Social Care may stop your Direct Payment if they think the payments are being mismanaged, but they will always discuss this with you and your decision maker first. We will look at the support you need to make sure that your payments are only spent on support and services to meet your agreed personal goals/outcomes. If we cannot come to an agreement, your payments will be stopped and your Supporting Officer may be asked to arrange your support and services for you. 20

24 Step seven Enjoying Life - Review We would like to share stories of success with other people. Step 7 Enjoying Life - Review We want to know if your Personal Budget is working for you. The Review After 6 weeks and at the end of the year, you will have a review with your Supporting Officer to find out how your plan has worked for you, if any problems occurred and if so, how were they sorted out? During this review you will need to tell us how you have spent your money. Your Supporting Officer will arrange this meeting. Sometimes, reviews might happen more often, depending on your circumstances. The review will focus on 4 areas that are designed to explore what has worked well in the support plan and also to identify any lessons that may have been learnt. 1. Outcomes - how have they been achieved? 2. How has your paid and unpaid support helped you? 3. How are you managing your money? 4. Do you have any new goals/objectives? Who will review my Personal Budget? You and your Supporting Officer will review your Personal Budget together. You can also have input from your Circle of Support if you like. You will also complete a Personal Budgets Review Form. If your life has changed a lot, you may need to complete a new Supported Self Assessment Questionnaire. Your Supporting Officer will do this with you. 21

25 Step seven Enjoying Life - Review What if I am unhappy with my Personal Budget or my support? If you are unhappy with your Personal Budget or your support you need to; Discuss it directly with the people providing your support Contact your Supporting Officer or your support broker who will be able to give you a copy of Darlington Borough Council s Adult Social Care Complaints Procedure. They will also tell you how to contact an independent advocate if you want one. Please tell us if you can help other people with their personal budgets We would like individuals and families who already have a Personal Budget to help other people who are new to it to develop their plans. If you would be willing to help with either support planning or sharing your story, please contact the Business Transformation Team on or transformingsocialcare@darlington.gov.uk 22

26 Glossary Glossary Advocate An advocate is a person who speaks on behalf of another person, or helps them speak up for themselves. They represent people s needs, opinions and choices and offer support to individuals to represent their interests in a variety of situations. Advocates can also help people to become more aware of their rights and can support people to exercise those rights and be involved in, and influence, decisions that are being made about them. An advocate can be a friend or relative you want to speak or act for you, or a person trained to be an advocate. The Council funds an advocacy service for those who may need to use it - see useful contacts. (Page 27) Brokerage The support and help offered to individuals to plan and organise their care package and individual budgets support plan. This is carried out by a person, or an organisation known as a Support Broker, or as part of care management by staff in Adult Social Care. Capacity Mental Capacity is the ability of someone to make decisions. These can range from dayto-day decisions, such as deciding what to wear in the morning, what to eat for breakfast, or whether or not to have a shave, to extremely serious ones, like moving home or having an operation. People may have difficulties making some decisions either all or some of the time. This could be because they have a learning disabilty, dementia, a mental health problem, a brain injury or have had a stroke. Carer (family carer, unpaid carer) A person providing support who is not employed to do so by an agency or organisation. A carer is often a relative or friend supporting someone at home who is frail, ill or requiring support; The carer can be of any age. 23

27 Glossary Direct Payments A Direct Payment is a cash payment that Adult Social Care can give to an individual who wants to organise and arrange their own support. A Direct Payment creates more flexibility in the provision of care and support services, and allows people to have greater choice and control over their lives, and to make their own decisions about how their care and support is delivered. Eligibility Criteria Guidelines to work out if people are entitled to services or not. This criteria helps us make sure that we treat everyone fairly and that the people most in need of our help receive it. The eligibility criteria is based on national guidance and is used by all councils providing Adult Social Care services. There are four bands, depending on risks to people if their community care needs are not met. The four bands are: Critical Substantial Moderate Low Financial Assessment An assessment of whether an individual has enough money to make a financial contribution toward the cost of their support. Impairment The loss or limitation of physical, mental or sensory function on a long-term or permanent basis. Indicative Personal Budget This is an indication of what is a fair and reasonable amount of money to meet your social care needs, as calculated by the Personal Budget Calculator. It is the Indicative Personal Budget which allows individuals to plan the support that will deliver the outcomes to best meet their identified needs. An Indicative Personal Budget must be approved before an individual can receive their final Personal Budget. 24

28 Glossary Outcomes The changes, benefits or other results that happen as a result of a person having social care support. Outcomes are related to the individual as to what they want to achieve for themselves and these must be recorded in the support plan. Personal Budget Social care funds given to an individual to be used to meet their social care needs as assessed by their Supporting Officer, in line with their support plan. Personal Budget Calculator This is how we calculate a Personal Budget. Each point equals an amount of money that you may receive to spend on your social care support. Personal Contribution This is the amount of money a person has to pay towards the cost of their support. The amount is worked out by staff following a financial assessment. Self Directed Support Self Directed Support (SDS) is a way of enabling people to meet their health and social care needs. SDS means individuals and carers with assessed eligible needs are offered a personal budget to spend on meeting their needs. Individuals are supported to choose and organise their support in the way that suits them best. Individuals have the choice of taking their Personal Budget either as a Direct Payment, or as Directly Managed Support, or a combination of these two options. SDS also includes the provision of universal services, which are available to all free of charge, and information, advice and guidance. The main aim of SDS is to promote independence, health and well-being by giving service users more choice and control over planning and managing their support. 25

29 Glossary Support Broker This is a person, or a company, commissioned to help to plan and organise the personal budget and support plan with an individual. If the individual chooses to use a specialist support broker they may have to pay for this. However, a broker can also be a family member, a friend, a worker from a voluntary organisation or a Supporting Officer from Adult Social Care. The Support Broker must ensure that the individual is fully involved in the decision making and controls the process of choosing the support plan and its delivery. The Support Broker may not necessarily co-ordinate all parts of an individual s support but only those parts with which the individual needs help and support. (See Person Centred Planning on the DLDLive website: Support Assistance provided to individuals to enable them to live with dignity and respect in the community. Supported Self Assessment Questionnaire (SSAQ) The Supported Self-Assessment Questionnaire (SSAQ) is used to identify and evaluate an individual s needs in order to deliver an Indicative Personal Budget with enough money to enable somebody to meet their identified eligible needs. It forms part of the community care assessment, and is the first part of the Personal Budget Calculator. Supporting Officer General term which could be Social Worker, Care Manager, Care Co-ordinator etc. Support Plan This is a detailed plan outlining how an individual s support needs could be met. This is drawn up following the assessment process by the Council, working in partnership with the individual. The individual will be supported to write their plan themselves. This lets them and those around them consider the outcomes they wish to achieve with their individual budget and how they want to live their life to meet their assessed eligible need/s. 26

30 Useful Contacts Access and Contact Team Telephone: Adult Social Care Fax: Central House Minicom: Gladstone Street Darlington DL3 6JX Emergency Duty Team: Tel: or Text: Website: Providing information and support on Adult Social Care. First point of contact to request an assessment. Advocacy Together Telephone: Suite 1, 37 Victoria Rd Darlington DL1 5SF Services offered: Advocacy (IMHA) Advocacy (Community) Independent service for people who use social care who experience difficulties putting their views across to others. Age UK Telephone: Bradbury House Fax: Beaumont Street West Darlington DL1 5SX Website: The largest charity working for older people. Offering information or advice on anything from health to housing. (Previously known as Age Concern and Help the Aged). 27

31 Useful Contacts Care Quality Commission (CQC) Telephone: Care Quality Commission Fax: National Correspondence Citygate Gallowgate Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 4PA Website: Aims to make sure better care is provided for everyone - in hospitals, care homes and people s own homes. It does this by carrying out inspections and setting standards. Carers Support Service Telephone: West Lodge Fax: West Crescent Darlington DL3 7PS carers@darlingtondisability.org Website: The Carers Support Service provides information, advice, support and training for carers. Darlington Association Telephone: on Disability (DSAD) Fax: Horsemarket Text: Darlington DL1 5PT mail@darlingtondisability.org Website: They are a voluntary and charitable organisation led by disabled people. It exists to promote independence and choice, and supports disabled people and carers through the provision of services, support and information. 28

32 Useful Contacts Darlington Citizens Advice Bureau Telephone: Bennet House Fax: Horsemarket Darlington DL1 5PT (we regret we cannot offer advice by ) Website: Darlington CAB provides specialist services in respect of welfare benefits, employment and money advice to individuals who are eligible for legal help. Darlington Learning Disability Telephone: Service Fax: Upperthorpe 90 Woodland Road Darlington DL3 7PZ Website: or contact the Emergency Duty Team on Offers information, advice, support and services to people who live in the borough of Darlington, over the age of 18 with a learning disability and their carers. Darlington LINk Telephone: Evolution Building Text: Church Row Darlington DL1 5QD info@darlingtonlink.co.uk Website: The LINk helps local people and organisations to speak with one voice and have real influence over key decisions that affect health and social care in their community. 29

33 Useful Contacts Direct Payments Support Service Telephone: Enterprise House South Entrance Valley Street North Darlington DL1 1GY Website: A support service for individuals who wish to have a Direct Payment so that they can organise, manage and pay for their social care support. Disabled Living Foundation (DLF) Telephone: Harrow Road (switchboard) London (helpline) W9 2HU helpline@dlf.org.uk Website: They are a national charity that provides impartial advice, information and training on daily living aids and equipment. evolution Telephone: Church Row Fax: Darlington DL1 5QD enquiries@evolutiondarlington.com Website: evolution aims to promote, support and develop the voluntary and community sector in Darlington to bring about positive change in the lives of people and their communities. 30

34 Useful Contacts MENCAP (Local Society) Telephone: Unit 1n-1p Enterprise House Valley Street North Darlington, County Durham DL1 1GY Website: Mencap is the leading UK charity for people with a learning disability and their families. MIND Telephone: St Hilda's House Fax: Borough Road Darlington DL1 1SQ gemerson.mind@hotmail.co.uk Website: Mind is the leading mental health charity for England and Wales. It provides information to help promote understanding of mental health and campaign to create a society that promotes and protects good mental health for all. NHS Darlington Telephone: Darlington Primary Care Trust Fax: Dr Piper House King Street Darlington DL3 6JL Website: Working in partnership with NHS County Durham, NHS Darlington is responsible for commissioning (planning and buying) health services on behalf of around 600,000 people living in County Durham and Darlington. 31

35 Useful Contacts Useful Contacts WRVS Telephone: Unit 1Q Valley Street North Valley St North Darlington DL1 1GY Website: WRVS is one of the UK s largest voluntary services dedicated to tackling social isolation or deprivation in communities. There are a number of community support services provided by the WRVS in Darlington. 32

36 Adult Social Care & Housing Darlington Borough Council Central House Darlington Designed and printed by Xentrall Design and Print dcom0169.qxp Printed August 2010