These personal stories give you some examples of how people have used and benefited from Direct Payments.
Enabling Continuity of Care:
R is 19 years and lives with his family. After his 18th birthday he moved from Children’s Services to Adult Services. Because the carers who gave him respite care with Children’s Services were not registered with Adult Services, R was unable to continue to stay with them for respite care. This was a blow since he knew his respite family very well and enjoyed visiting them because they treated him as a family member. He had a good relationship, not only with his carers, but also with their children.
R’s Transitions Personal Advisor discussed the option of having a Direct Payment with R and his Mum. They agreed that it would be in his best interests since it would allow him to continue visiting his respite family.
R has a learning disability and has limited understanding of Direct Payments therefore his Mum agreed to manage the money on his behalf. They decided to use the ‘best interest’ guidelines outlined by the Law Commission to demonstrate that the arrangements made with the Direct Payment would be in R’s best interests. As long as R demonstrated that he was happy to receive respite care from his original family, he would continue to visit them.
R has been on a Direct Payment for one year now and it is working successfully. He has visited his respite carers regularly throughout the year at mutually convenient times while his Mum completes the necessary forms and pays his carers. Without a Direct Payment R would have had to adjust to a new carer and build a new relationship with them. This would have taken time and would have been both distressing and disruptive for R.
Enabling Choice, Control and Independence:
A Direct Payment helped Mr S who is 59. He has a physical disability and needs help with showering, housework and shopping. After his wife died Mr S depended on staff from a care agency for help, however, he was dissatisfied, ‘you didn’t know what time they would come’ he explained.
Mr S says a Direct Payment gives him 'a freer hand to choose a carer'. Every month, money is paid into his Direct Payment bank account, which he uses to pay his assistants. He also gets money from the Independent Living Fund. One personal assistant has been with him for several years. He said ‘if you have the same person all the time it makes life so much easier. They get into the routine and life runs smoothly’. Mr S, therefore does not have to continually explain his preferences to different people.
One personal assistant is flexible with her work and helps him complete the Direct Payment administration forms, which Mr S says ‘is another gain you get if you have a really good relationship’.
Mr S is very happy with his Direct Payment. It has given him more choice, control and greater independence.
Using a Direct Payment to Develop Skills:
M, 23 years old, lives with his Mum and started a Direct Payment approximately 3 years ago.
Because he has both learning and physical disabilities, M’s Mum manages the Direct Payment on his behalf. M loves to use his computer but needs help to do so but because his Mum doesn't have any experience using computers, his Direct Payment is used to pay Richard to help M with his computer. Not only does M enjoy this but it also helps him to develop new skills. Before receiving a Direct Payment M did not have regular help – he depended upon visits from family friends for support. With a Direct Payment, he now looks forward to Richard’s visits.
Richard also regularly helps M with physiotherapy exercises. In this way, M has the same person supporting him, which enables him to build a good relationship with Richard.
M’s Mum has received help from a Direct Payment Advisor with the Direct Payment forms.
FEDS
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