Make use of your unspent day service and direct payment monies

[Head_cook]

I hope this helps families out there !

In the lockdown my Down’s syndrome son has been shielding in his bedsit.

As you can imagine it’s challenging at this time. As his local council hadn’t approached him to see if he was coping ( which he wasn’t) I contacted them.

I asked what they were doing with his ACCRUED day service budget? He needs help. They agreed to contribute to art/crafts, jigsaw materials . I also wanted him to use a Nintendo Switch, because he loves cars , racing , bowling etc. This was in line with the government website on what you can use accrued direct payments for due to the pandemic see link :-

gov.uk/government/publicati...

So after 6 weeks of wrangling I have 5 hours 1:1 a week support for exercise. Plus the Switch & 2 games plus craft materials to use in 2 hours 1:1 with his PA. he can also play with his friends and relatives online.

As if us parents don’t have enough to deal with! Fight for your son/daughters well being. Good luck!

[learner01]

Dear Head_cook, Thank you for your encouraging post. It can be so disheartening dealing with, or rather, trying to deal with Social Services etc who are unresponsive and uncommunicative.

They don't seem to pay any attention to the realms of information on best practice, working together and supporting carers.

Having recently become responsible for a disabled relative I am new at all this and admit that I feel like giving up.

Thank you for the encouragement to keep going.

[Head_cook in reply to learner01]

Thank you for reading! It is a minefield sometimes, but after many years of dealing with social services as a mum and being an

x -outreach worker you get to know how the system works. Your loved one will have a “Care Plan” that you have agreed to or amended! Everything in that plan the council have to adhere to. Otherwise they are going against their own policies and The Care Act ,safeguarding & Well-being. (Google those). If you say they are not giving the service that’s in the care plan that’s written up and

If the council ignore your “Complaint “ (make notes of dates) then after 20 days ( read your councils website on complaints policies) you can escalate your complaint to the next stage , include your MP into emails and you can even include the CEO of your council. They are answerable to you the tax payer!

In extreme cases you may have to go to stage 3 and then The Ombudsman if your not satisfied with your councils response.

If it’s really serious and you’ve completed the complaints procedures and there’s no change get a solicitor. You can apply for funding for this.

Those that shout the loudest gets! Sad really that we have to do this, if we haven’t got enough to deal with as carers.

[Sarah_Mencap]

Thank you for sharing this. This is great outcome.

I am sure other families must be in a similar situation.

Best wishes

Sarah

[Head_cook]

Thank you, it is at the end of the day HIS budget that the council assessed his needs for. They are keeping hold of it, which is wrong.

What money is left will go back to central government I assume!?!?

Along with the thousands of pensions which people have died with covid

The government are forthright in telling us how much covid has cost, but not how much they’ve saved.