We would like to thank everyone who has donated time and money to the fundraising effort so far. We still have some fundraising to do for additional works and for phase 2 and welcome all ideas and input.
We have received the following funding and donations
November 2006
Freedom of Choice:
Disability Charity Enham poised to deliver Contract to
Support Disabled People to use Direct Payments.
The commitment by Enham to facilitating the everyday lives of more disabled people living in the wider community has taken the form of its latest initiative. Enham is pleased to announce that it has been awarded The Direct Payment Support Worker Service Contract by Hampshire County Council. From 1st January 2007 it will be responsible for providing the service covering the Andover, Aldershot, Alton, Basingstoke and Winchester areas.
Mike Smith Chief Executive of Enham said “Enham is very much equipped to deliver the Direct Payments Service as it has been working for and with disabled people for over 88 years. We are extremely excited about the opportunity to provide more freedom of choice, value and flexibility. Our vision at Enham is a society where disabled people are valued as individuals and are enabled to achieve their full potential. We are dedicated to providing those services that empower people, so that they can have more control over their lives and their finances.”
Instead of receiving care from Social Services, clients will be able to receive cash payments provided by Social Services to be used to purchase their care requirements themselves e.g. to select and employ carers directly, or via a staff agency of their choice.
Mark Deal, Enham’s Research and Development Manager, himself disabled, has been able to draw upon his own personal experience of using the Direct Payments Service to help set up an efficient service for Enham. “The days of traditional institutionalised systems are long gone. Disabled people and their families want the opportunity to choose who they want to assist in meeting their needs, just like everyone else” he commented.
Once the social worker has assessed the client’s requirement for Direct Payments – this will be agreed and recorded in his/her care plan. Enham will then provide the client with a Support Service and will discuss what the responsibilities will be as a Direct Payments user and employer. Enham will help the client recruit and train his/her staff, if required.
“People will effectively be becoming employers for the first time” Mark added. “Some people may be a little nervous about making their own decisions, so Enham’s Support Workers will be providing face to face support every step of the way from filling in forms and assistance with writing the job adverts to sitting in at interviews with their potential carers and agreeing terms and conditions.”
The Direct Payments Service has been in operation since the 1996 Community Care (Direct Payments) Act. The Carers and Disabled Children Act followed in the Year 2000.
“Over 450 people are already on the Direct Payment Scheme in our region and we are looking to expand this over the next 3 years” said Louise Gordon, Director of Operations at Enham.
Further information can be found on our website www.enham.org.uk. Alternatively, please feel free to contact Louise Gordon on 01264 345800 x 2006.
Further Information about Direct Payments
These Direct Payments are paid monthly into a separate bank account, to be used solely for this purpose and are not a form of income. This enables the client to receive the right kind of bespoke care for his/her personal needs and the process can be done in his/her own home and personal space. Trusts can be set up if clients would rather a trusted friend looked after the Direct Payment money. The service is not irreversible – a client may go back to receiving care arranged by his/her social worker if things didn’t work out.
Individuals eligible would need to be over 18 and having been accessed as needing community care services. The service is also open to the parents who are carers of disabled children or disabled young adults aged 16-17 years old. Also eligible would be people with learning difficulties, physical disabilities, mental health problems, or HIV Aids and the elderly. It is usually not accepted that people can use Direct Payments to secure services from a spouse, partner or close relative except in special circumstances.
Please note:
The Direct Payments Support Worker Service is not to be confused with Direct Payment – (without the s), which is the way the Department of Works and Pensions pays benefits, state pensions and war pensions - now that giros and order books have been phased out.