Self directed support

Meet Andy Hopley. Like many young men his age, he’s passionate about cars and motor sports. Andy has learning difficulties and Autism, and was attending a motor maintenance course at college in Barrow. However, he was having problems with bullies at college and when out in town.

Andy had to leave the college and became withdrawn, spending a lot of time on his own in his room. His family became concerned and contacted Maggie Dougan, Andy’s social worker. Maggie was able to tell Andy about the ‘direct payments’ available to Andy through ‘in Control’. A direct payment allows service users to manage their own care package, giving them more control and a greater choice of care support.

Cumbria County Council is one of a handful of councils taking part in a project called ‘in Control’, which aims to give self directed support to all our adult social care customers. A social worker still carries out an assessment, but this is more person-centred and puts the customer at the centre of decisions. The customer is then encouraged to develop their own support plan. 

For Andy, this has meant he’s able to manage his own care package and pay for personal assistants that are near his own age. Andy’s assistants go with him to motor sports events and into town. This has helped Andy build his confidence and his social life, and he’s now planning for a future on a motor sports course at college in Preston. Through self directed support, Andy will be able to live in halls of residence and manage his care package. He plans to use his direct payments to pay for personal assistants who are local to his college.

For more information on in Control visit: cumbria.gov.uk/adultsocialcare/ict