Getting the best support package

Ten top tips for getting the best support package. Quick read guide with a complete information sheet available to download.

Introduction

This page and information sheet is for family carers to ensure good support and services for adults (over the age of 18) with severe learning disabilities whose behaviour challenges.

Download the information sheet: Getting the best support package

Quick read

Get an assessment of needs

A disabled person has the right to a face to face assessment of needs with a member of social services. The assessment must clearly state the person’s needs and the disabled person (and in general his or her carer) must be given a copy of this.

Meeting ‘assessed’ needs

Your local authority will decide what level of need it will meet and fund under the local authority’s “eligibility criteria”. A person’s assessed needs (that meet the criteria) must be met!

Get a Care Plan

A care plan sets out what support you should get, why, when, and details of who is meant to provide it. The care plan is used to check all the person’s needs are being met.

Personal budgets

In a ‘personal budget’ the council tells the disabled person how much they are going to spend, to enable the person to have more choice and control over the support and services they receive. They should not be used as an excuse for making cuts.

Range and amount of support available

The law requires that a person’s assessed needs (that meet the criteria) have to be met, regardless of their cost. Councils cannot deny access to a particular type of support or limit the amount of support that can be provided.

Allocation or funding panels

Many councils use panels as a way of rationing services. If this happens, request a written response from the panel detailing how the council will meet the assessed needs.

Lack of appropriate services and support

Councils should develop local support services to meet people’s needs. Local authorities must adjust provision to meet your relative’s needs.

Making a complaint

If you believe that the Council has acted unlawfully, you should make a formal complaint to try and get a positive result for you and your relative.

Identify some key allies

Caring be a hard and isolating experience and it may be helpful to find key allies who you can use for support. Many families find talking to other family carers a helpful source of support. If you’d like to get in touch with other families through the CBF’s email network, please click on the link below.