Transcript National Valuing Family Forum

National Valuing Family Forum
Personalisation
National Forum
Telford 8th December 2010
National Valuing Family Forum
• A group of people that are working in geographical
areas across England in the interest of people with
learning disabilities and their families.
• There are people from large well known organisation
like MENCAP and Princess Royal Trust for Carers and
Standing Commission for Carers
• Our aim is to support family carers by influencing
positive change. We want to see good changes, good
information and good support reaching every one.
What is a Family Carer?
• Generally Family Carers are parents,
husbands, wives, siblings, close relatives, good
friends and neighbours
• What they are is unpaid
• They are just as likely to be men
• They could be as young as three and as old as
Father Time
• They could be you!
Who do they support?
• Loved ones
• Family Carers are supporting people with long
term conditions such as mental health, dementia,
and MS.
• Family Carers are supporting people with a
learning disability and in turn people with a
learning disability can have caring responsibilities
• Older people and people with acquired injuries
What family carers aren’t
• They are not saints
• They aren’t super-human
• They are not social workers, chemists,
trainers, health assistants, occupational
therapist, business managers, speed readers
rolled into one
• Equal partners
• They are not able to be robots either!
Personalisation
• The National Valuing Family Forum think that
personal budgets are a very good thing if
managed well
• We hear of people lives changing for the better
when they use their personal budget well
• We hear of people doing inspiration things with
their lives
• We hear of people getting support from new
friends
• We hear of people willing to share their
knowledge and information
What happens if personalisation is not
done well in your area?
• People will not know what is happening or have
information that they can talk about with other
people
• There will not be a menu of options of services
that people can choice from
• There will not be good advice, inspiration and
support to help people make changes
• There will not be good support for the family
carer with timely carer assessments being carried
out.
What will make the difference?
• Everyone focusing on the value of what changes
people want to make and not so much on the
money issues
• Everyone, especially the advocates ensuring that
people are hear the right messages. This includes
the LA workforce
• Everyone knowing what is important to them
• People having support to develop their natural
circle of support
• Strengthening family advocacy ensuring it’s
effectiveness at every stage
So what now and how do we achieve
it?
Thank you for listening!