Just starting out
Just starting out? It can seem there is a lot to do all at once. Just remember that you do not need everything on Day One. This website will help, as when you need something you can just come here and take what you need.
One document you will need at the beginning (especially if you live in England and are aiming for a PHB) is a Care and Support Plan. We are thinking of ways we can help with this as everyone is so different that they really are unique. As a starting point, have a look at this page.
The idea for the page you're viewing is that it will contain useful help for when you just starting out to run a care budget, or just need guidance. If we were to add this help directly, we believe that we will be duplicating what is already out there on the internet, and, add the risk of not keeping it up to date. Providing links is a way around this. So if you have links - just add them, or, email them to us at [email protected]. We are not stopping you adding advice though, you can create a page, whenever you want, about anything relating to care budgets. This is a public wiki so anyone can add anything, but we do moderate before publishing.
These links are not in any particular order, though you can always feedback to us on how useful they were over in the Discussion forum.
[Links]
General and really good - start here!
The National Health Service (NHS) in England are the source of Personal Health Budgets, click [here].
peoplehub is an independent Community Interest Company, led by people with lived experience of personal health budgets, and aimed at offering useful information, connecting people and influencing how personal health budgets are implemented. Their web site has been written by those with lived experience, click [here]. Check out their guides too [here].
InControl are a national charity working for an inclusive society where everyone has the support they need to live a good life and make a valued contribution, click [here].
Places for care and support planning and gaining that care budget
Cerebra offer a toolkit for accessing the care services you need, click [here].
think local act personal offer help on care and support planning, click [here].
Beacon offer help on care and support planning, a toolkit and much more. Click [here].
Training for you and your staff is essential
The Social Care TV website offers a wide range of very affordable videos, with good description of each one. The employer can set up a 'master' account and then check progress of all their staff's training who have their "subsidiary" accounts. Click [here].
Other places offer guidance for staffing
Skillsforcare are more for the paid employer of care staff but there is lots of useful information on the site, click [here].
The Independent Living Group offer a set of templates centred on employing care staff, click [here]. It does costs though unless you have relevant insurance through Mark Bates Ltd.
Care Quality Matters offer checklists and templates but there is a charge, although with a free trial, click [here].
Leeds cil have lots of resource about employing care staff, click [here].
Trafford CCG have a guide to employing care staff, click [here].
Wiltshire Centre for Independent Living offer staffing templates, click [here].
Educational focus
Independent Provider of Special Education Advice (IPSEA) offer good advice around educational issues, Independent Provider of Special Education Advice, click [here].
The legal side
Irwin Mitchell offer legal templates, click [here].
Local and national organisations
Department of Work and Pensions for benefits, click [here].
Office of Disabilities Issues for information on disabilities funding click [here].
Her Majesty's Customs and Excise for Employment Taxes, National Insurance, VAT, click [here].
Government portal for employees’ and employers’ rights click [here].
Equality and Human Rights Council for disability rights and complaints click [here].
Home Office/Equalities for Equalities information click [here].
Write to your elected politicians, for example, to complain to your councillors or MP click [here].
Local Government Office who are the ombudsman for complaints about your Local Authority click [here].
Other stuff
Multi Me have had good reviews about their software for building a life around the person with disabilities click [here].