What are Direct Payments?
Direct payments have been set up to give people with parental responsibility for a disabled child, the entitlement to receive money to pay for services themselves, instead of the local council arranging them on their behalf.
What services can Direct Payments be used for?
- Personal care in the child's own home
- Sessional support for a child taking part in recreational, leisure, cultural or sporting activities
- Family based short break care
- Residential short break care
- Holiday support.
For guidelines about each of the above services, please contact either your social worker or the Direct Payments Carer Adviser at Northampton Carers.
What services can't they be used for?
- Service provided by the local council
- Services that are the responsibility of other agencies, for example NHS trusts or schools
- Long term residential care
What if my child's needs change?
- Direct payments arrangements are reviewed at least once a year, in the same way as services provided by the local council.
- A review could result in the arrangements continuing unchanged or being increased or decreased.
How can I access direct payments?
The needs of your child and your family will be assessed or reviewed in the usual way by a social worker, and the level of service to meet those needs will be determined.
- If your child has a social worker and you would like to know more about accessing direct payments please contact her/him.
- If your child does not have a social worker, contact Northamptonshire Carers Direct Payments Adviser, for more information about assessment.
Can I be refused a direct payment?
The local authority can refuse a direct payment if:
- The service the parent wishes to purchase would not meet the child's needs
- A parent refuses to obtain a Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) Check on a potential personal assistant or sessional support worker
- A parent wishes to employ someone who does not have a satisfactory outcome to their CRB Check
- It does not appear that the parent is capable of managing the payments
Further information