Claire Morgan 20/09/2024 News

Joe Powell, Chief Executive has written a follow up article to Paul’s . Here, Joe talks about personalised budgets:

The first time I heard about personalised budgets was when I was living in my last care service.

My authorities brought in Bob Rhodes from Livesthroughfriends to help me because I wasn’t happy in my service.

At that time the idea of having a personalised budget was scary.

I was so used to living in complicated care systems so it sounded too simple.

My service provider said I would be sectioned within three months if I went for a personalised budget because I needed a specialist autism service for life.

The reason I decided to go for a personalised budget was because I was so unhappy in care that I thought I had to try something different.

A personalised budget worked really well for me.

I was living in the community, completed a degree and got the job I have now. All the things I never thought I would achieve.

It also cost much less to fund than my care service.

I learned a lot about life and independence by living in the ‘real world’

What I liked about having a personalised budget was that it put me and my needs at the centre of the things I did.

Rather than just fit into what my service could offer.

This kept me dependent.

But…

Living in a flat in the community was right for me.

It may not be right for you.

You may still want to live in a residential service but have more say in what you do.

Or have someone come and support you in the community like Paul Sutton does.

It is important is that everyone thinks about what is best for them.

This is why it is important that all people with learning disabilities are given the right information.

So they can decide what is best for themselves.

This may change over time.

What is right now may not be right in the future.

I believe that we have a care system that is often working as a business.

That provides what it is able to provide only.

And they decide what is provided.

As long as that is the case I don’t believe that people with learning disabilities will ever be in control.

I believe that whether a person uses a care service, day centre or lives independently they should hold the funds for the services they need.

This puts the control in their hands.

And if services don’t deliver, the person can go elsewhere.

I believe this makes people with learning disabilities ‘paying customers’

And will change the relationship they have with service providers.

We have a long way to go towards achieving equality for people with learning disabilities.

But I really believe personalised budgets could play a big part in us achieving that.

The most important thing that a person with a learning disability needs to ask themselves is:

What do I need to live a good life?

What do I need to be happy?

Only you will know the answer to that question.

Even if you need support to work out the answer to that question.

Please work out what your own answer is.

Once you find your own answer. You can start to plan for your future.

One that puts you firmly at the centre.

Victory for Self-Advocacy!

Joe Powell – Chief Executive, All Wales People First