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Some questions about Social Services
Social services Q&A
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Residential homes
Hot meal services
Help around the home
Social services
support
Benefits
Neigbour concern
Direct payments
Volunteering
Are any reports available on residential homes in Medway?
The Care Quality Commission produces reports as part
of its remit as the independent regulator of health and social care
in England. It can be contacted via its website. Alternatively
email: enquiries@cqc.org.uk
How can I find out what residential homes are available in
Medway?
There is an adult care guide which is produced by
Medway Council, Health and Community Services which lists all of
the residential homes in Medway. The Access and Information Team
can organise for a copy to be sent to you.
How do I apply for a hot meal service?
By contacting an Access and Information Officer on 01634 334466.
They will take details and if appropriate, pass the information to
a care management team for assessment.
Who do I contact to get help around the home?
In the first instance the Access and Information Team. They will
be able to advise what services are available or provide a list of
agencies that provide a domestic service.
How do I get help from social services?
If you would like to speak to someone directly, go to one of
Medway Council's five contact points. Also, the Access and
Information team is available on 01634 334466.
How do I get my own social worker?
If the initial assessment identifies that there is a need for
Social Services involvement a social worker/care manager will be
allocated.
What services are available from social services?
Social Services can offer or gain access to a range of services
for children and families, older people, people with disabilities.
An Access and Information Officer will be able to advise you what
services are available by calling 01634 334466.
Where can I find out who my social worker is?
If you have been allocated a social worker you would have been
given their name and direct telephone number. If you are unsure
then the Access and Information Team as the first point of contact
will be able to establish whether you have an allocated care
manager/ social worker and provide their contact details.
Who decides who needs a social worker?
The initial information is taken by the Access and Information
Team, which is then passed on to the appropriate teams for a
decision by the team manager.
What services are available from social services?
Medway Council Social Services can offer or gain access to a
range of services for children and families, older people, people
with disabilities. An Access and Information Officer will be able
to advise what services are available by calling 01634 334466.
How can I find out who my social worker is?
If you have been allocated a social worker, you would have been
given their name and direct telephone number. If you are unsure,
the Access and Information Team will be able to establish whether
you have an allocated care manager or social worker and provide
their contact details.
I am worried about my neighbour – what can I do?
Contact the Access and Information Team who will advise on what
action, if any, can be taken. Call 01634 334466.
Where can I find out what benefits I am entitled to?
The
Direct Gov website has a helpful guide to benefits and
financial support, including advice on help for carers.
What is a direct payment?
This is money paid directly by the council's Community Services
Directorate to individuals who have care and social support needs
so that they can arrange, organise and pay for their own help. It
is a different way of getting the support they need.
Who can get direct payments from the council for social
care?
Individuals who are assessed as needing social care support and
meet the eligibility criteria can receive direct payments from the
council.
How do I know if I can get direct payments?
Contact your social worker, care manager or care co-ordinator
and say you want to consider direct payments to meet your support
needs. Call 01634 334466 if you need assistance.
Why do people want direct payments?
Direct payments are a good way of being in control of your own
life. You are in charge. You choose what services you use, when you
use them and from whom you get them.
Will direct payments affect my benefits?
No. Direct payments are given for your care support needs. It is
not a benefit or personal income.
Will direct payments affect my tax?
No. Direct payments are not treated as personal income and
therefore do not affect your tax obligations.
Why do I need to set up a separate account for direct
payments?
Direct payments are public money and the council has to check
that it is spent to meet your support needs. A separate bank
account means that the checks can be made more easily and the
payments are not mixed up with your personal income and
expenditure.
Will I have to pay anything towards my care costs under the
Medway Direct Payments Scheme?
All Medway residents who require support from the council to
meet their care needs are means-tested to check whether a
contribution is necessary.
How much money will I get under the Medway Direct Payments
Scheme?
Usually, the calculation is made by counting the number of hours
of support needed each week and multiplying that by a set rate. The
rate will depend on whether you will be employing someone directly
or contracting through a care agency. If you are expected to
contribute towards the cost of your care, this is deducted from the
calculation and you will be required to pay the contribution into
the new direct payments account.
How long does it take to set up direct payments for care and
social support needs?
If you have a separate bank account set up and you have someone
identified to meet your care needs, the scheme can be set up
immediately. It may take longer if you need to advertise for a
personal assistant, however.
I am an individual with care and social support needs: what can
the money from direct payments be spent on?
The money is to be spent on your assessed needs. For example,
support with personal things, such as having a bath, washing or
getting dressed; support with living in your own home, such as help
with money, cooking or cleaning the house; support for getting out
and about, such as meeting friends, joining in activities with
other people or having someone with whom to go on holiday.
I am an individual with care and social support need: what
records about direct payments will I need to keep?
You must have a bank account for the direct payments and keep
the bank statements. You will need to keep a record of how you
spend your direct payments and to whom the payments are made. You
will need to keep time sheets if you employ someone and the
invoices if you use a care agency. You will also need to keep
records for HM Revenue and Customs if
you deduct tax and/or national insurance.
Why do I need to keep records about direct payments?
Direct payments are paid out of public funds by the council and
it has a duty to check that you spend it correctly.
What if I cannot manage to do the record keeping for direct
payments myself?
You can use the services of other people to manage the record
keeping. The Direct Payments Support Team will help you find
someone to do it. Call 01634 333333 in the first
instance.
Is there support for payroll for people who use direct
payments?
Yes. There are individuals and organisations that will provide
support with payroll matters and they can act as agents with HM
Revenues and Customs.
I am an individual with care and social support needs: how is
the money from direct payments monitored?
Your Direct Payment Co-ordinator will visit you every three
months to help you manage the Direct Payment Scheme successfully.
Every year a fuller inspection of all your records will be made.
This is called an audit.
Will I still have a care manager, social worker or care
co-ordinator if I choose direct payments?
Yes. The council retains its duty of care to you and if your
support needs change or you wish to end direct payments, they will
make the necessary arrangements.
I am an individual with care and social support needs: can I
employ anybody to do the work under the direct payments
scheme?
Mostly. The main exception is that you cannot employ any
relative who lives in the same house as you.
Can I use a care agency to carry out work under the direct
payments scheme?
Yes - and you are not restricted to those agencies that have a
contract with Medway Council.
How are people I want to employ to do work under the direct
payments scheme checked?
It is strongly recommended that you ask for and take up any
references from previous employment, find out that the person can
legally work in this country and ensure that a check is made
through the Criminal Records Bureau. The council's Direct Payments
Team can help you to do this. Call 01634 333333 in the first
instance.
How do I find suitable people to do the work under the direct
payments scheme?
You may be able to identify people in your own network and
neighbourhood. If not, a tailored advertisement and job description
to suit your purposes can be created and placed in the local papers
and neighbourhood outlets. The Direct Payments Team will help you
create these and handle the responses to protect your identity. The
choice is yours to make but help with interviewing is also
available from the same team.
What about emergency cover for people using the direct payments
scheme?
It is advisable to recruit more than one person to meet support
needs or at the very least have someone to call upon as a back-up.
However, if these arrangements fail, it is always possible to
contact a care manager, social worker, care co-ordinator or the
out-of-hours team to put cover in place in an emergency.
What if my needs change suddenly and I need more support under
the direct payments scheme?
You are given a contingency fund with the first payments so that
you are able to make your own arrangements to cover the extra
hours. If the change in your needs is longer-term, a fresh
assessment by the care manager, social worker, or care co-ordinator
will be necessary.
What support is there for me when I am receiving direct
payments?
The direct payments team is a resource to help you manage the
scheme. The help offered covers recruitment, budgeting,
book-keeping and payroll. The Direct Payments User Group meets
periodically to offer support.
I am an individual with care and social support needs: what if
I don’t like receiving direct payments?
You may stop direct payments at any time and have your support
needs met through your care manager, social worker or care
co-ordinator. Any unspent direct payment money will be reclaimed by
Medway Council.
Where can I find out about volunteering in Medway?
By contacting your local
volunteer bureau or centre. Volunteering opportunities are also
advertised in the local press or you can find out about
volunteering by contacting the voluntary organisation, community
group or charity that you would be interested in volunteering for
directly.
How much time do I need to give per week as a volunteer?
As little or as much time that you can spare to commit to
volunteering.
What skills do I need to be a volunteer?
There are no specific skills required to volunteer and many
organisations will provide you with training opportunities.
Will all my expenses be paid as a volunteer?
Most organisations will pay out-of-pocket expenses, such as
travel costs. It is worth checking this out before the placement
begins, however.
Can I volunteer away from home?
Yes, the local volunteer bureaux can often arrange placements
abroad.
If I want to become a volunteer, will I be interviewed?
If you register with the local volunteer bureaux, you may be
asked to visit the centres in person to discuss the sort of
placements you are looking for. You may also be asked to attend an
interview with an organisation or have an informal chat before the
placement begins. All interviews and discussions can be
confidential.
If I don't like the volunteer placement, can I leave?
Yes, of course you can leave, but it may be worth talking to the
volunteer supervisor or manager before leaving to discuss the
reasons why you want to leave or why you are unhappy, so that they
can improve their services to other volunteers. It is also
advisable to inform the volunteer bureaux when you leave a
placement so that they can help find you a more suitable placement
with another organisation.
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