FAQs | Walsingham Support

Extra Care FAQs

How is extra care funded?

Depending on your circumstances, your local council might pay for all or some of the costs of providing extra care. To determine how much, if any, of the costs it will pay, your local council will conduct an assessment.

In England and Wales, local councils have a legal duty to assess anyone who appears to need care and support, regardless of how much money that person has. This is called a care needs assessment. It takes into account your circumstances, abilities and needs, and determines what sort of care and support is best for you.

If, following a care needs assessment, your council decides you’re eligible for extra care, they’ll look at your financial situation and discuss with you whether they will pay for all or part of your support, whether you have to pay something towards it, or whether you have to pay for all of it.

This will depend on your circumstances, and the council’s budget and funding criteria.

If you are eligible for council-funded support, you may be able to choose how your money is managed. Some people have their support funding managed by a social worker, while others choose to have it paid directly to them so they have more control over how to spend it which is called a direct payment.

How can I access extra care?

We can provide extra care to people over the age of 18, regardless of how your support will be funded. If you are under 18, we can help you to plan the transition into adult support services through our transition support service.

Your local council can refer you to us for extra care, whether or not you are eligible for council funding towards your support costs. But you don’t have to be referred – you can get in touch with us directly.

If you’re eligible for an extra care housing scheme you will normally be put on a waiting list. The wait for extra care will depend on where you live and what resources are available in your area.

How do you keep a check on your extra care services?

All of our extra care services are inspected and regulated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in England and the Care and Social Services Inspectorate Wales (CSSIW).

This means all of our extra care facilities are subject to regular visits by independent inspectors to make sure we continue to meet minimum standards of care and support. Inspection findings and reports are made public in both England and Wales, so you can find out how all our residential care facilities are doing at any time.

We also work hard as a charity to monitor how we’re doing. We constantly strive to deliver the highest-quality support that exceeds minimum standards and fully embraces our values. Our quality team is responsible for auditing the support we provide to make sure we’re doing exactly that.

Our personalisation team works closely day to day with all the people we support, to make sure we’re doing what we set out to do, providing individualised, person-centred and flexible support that enables each individual to live a fulfilled and happy life.

How can Walsingham Support help me with extra care?

If you, a member of your family, or someone you care for would like more information or advice, or have any questions about extra care and the options available to you, get in touch with us.

We’re here to offer guidance and support, wherever you are and whatever you need.

Call us on 0333 405 1030*

* Calls are charged at your local rate, wherever you’re calling from.

Alternatively please get in touch via our contact us form.

Residential Care FAQs

How does residential care work?

The number of residents varies at each of our residential care facilities. Currently, our largest residence is home to 12 individuals, while five people live at our smallest residential care home.

It’s important that everyone is comfortable and gets along with their housemates. So, when a space becomes available at one of our residential care homes, we make sure the current residents are included in any decisions about what happens.

This helps us to make sure any potential new residents and their specific support needs are compatible with existing residents and the way support is delivered at the residence. That way, we can get things right at the very start for everyone.

Will I have my own space and one-to-one support?

Everyone has their own bedroom, so they have somewhere to go to be by themselves and have some privacy.

You will always have the one-to-one support you need, when you need it, as defined in your personal care plan. Some other types of support might be shared with other residents.

There will always be someone around to help you. Residential care homes have staff on-site 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The number of staff at each of our facilities is based on the number of residents and their individual needs.

How is residential care funded?

Depending on your circumstances, your local council might pay for all or some of the costs of providing residential care. To determine how much, if any, of the costs it will pay, your local council will conduct an assessment.

In England and Wales, local councils have a legal duty to assess anyone who appears to need care and support, regardless of how much money the person has. This is called a care needs assessment. It takes into account your circumstances, abilities and needs, and determines what sort of care and support is best for you.

If, following a care needs assessment, your council decides you’re eligible for residential care, they’ll look at your financial situation and discuss with you whether they will pay for all or part of your support, whether you have to pay something towards it, or whether you have to pay for all of it.

This will depend on your circumstances, and the council’s budget and funding criteria.

If you are eligible for council-funded support, you may be able to choose how your money is managed. Some people receive direct payments, which is money paid directly to them to spend on their support. You cannot use direct payments to pay for long-term or permanent residential care, but you can use them to fund short stays in residential care facilities of up to four weeks per year.

Sometimes, the NHS can help to pay towards residential care for people who have specific medical or mobility needs.

How can I access residential care facilities?

We can provide residential care to people over the age of 18, regardless of how your support will be funded. If you are under 18, we can help you to plan the transition into adult support services through our transition support service.

Your local council can refer you to us for residential care, whether or not you are eligible for council funding towards your support costs. But you don’t have to be referred – you can get in touch with us directly.

How do you keep a check on residential care homes?

All of our residential facilities and services are inspected and regulated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in England and the Care and Social Services Inspectorate Wales (CSSIW).

This means all of our care homes are subject to regular visits by independent inspectors to make sure we continue to meet minimum standards of care and support. Inspection findings and reports are made public in both England and Wales, so you can find out how all our residential care facilities are doing at any time.

We also work hard as a charity to monitor how we’re doing. We constantly strive to deliver the highest-quality support that exceeds minimum standards and fully embraces our values. Our Quality and Policy team is responsible for auditing the support we provide to make sure we’re doing exactly that.

Our Personalisation team works closely day to day with all the people we support, to make sure we’re doing what we set out to do, providing individualised, person-centred and flexible support that enables each individual to live a fulfilled and happy life.

How can Walsingham Support help me with residential care?

If you, a member of your family, or someone you care for would like more information or advice, or have any questions about residential care and the options available to you, get in touch with us.

We’re here to offer guidance and support, wherever you are and whatever you need.

Call us on 0333 405 1030*

You can also fill out the form at the bottom of this page and we’ll get back to you.

* Calls are charged at your local rate, wherever you’re calling from.

Supported Living FAQs

Is supported living suitable for me?

Supported living is suitable for anyone that wants to be as independent as possible, but needs a bit of additional help with certain things. It might be an ideal option for you if you:

have been living in a residential care facility and are ready to move on
have lived with parents or family, and now want to live by yourself
want your own place after finishing school or college
have been living unsupported but now find yourself needing some support.

Will I still be able to get support if I don’t live by myself?

It doesn’t matter whether you live alone in your own home, or share with other people – you will still get the support you need, as set out in your personal care plan.

If living in shared accommodation is right for you, we’ll always make sure discussions and decisions about your support involve you and centre on how you want to live. This will include things like who you’ll live with, how it will work day to day, and how we’ll make sure everyone is comfortable, fulfilled and happy.

have been living in a residential care facility and are ready to move on
have lived with parents or family, and now want to live by yourself
want your own place after finishing school or college
have been living unsupported but now find yourself needing some support.

How are supported living services funded?

Depending on your circumstances, your local council might pay for all or some of the costs of providing supported living. To determine how much, if any, of the costs it will pay, your local council will conduct an assessment.

In England and Wales, local councils have a legal duty to assess anyone who appears to need care and support, regardless of how much money the person has. This is called a care needs assessment. It takes into account your circumstances, abilities and needs, and determines what sort of care and support is best for you.

If, following a care needs assessment, your council decides you’re eligible for supported living, they’ll look at your financial situation and discuss with you whether they will pay for all or part of your support, whether you have to pay something towards it, or whether you have to pay for all of it.

This will depend on your circumstances, and the council’s budget and funding criteria.

If you are eligible for council-funded support, you may be able to choose how your money is managed. Some have their support funding managed by a social worker, while others choose to have it paid directly to them so they have more control over how to spend it. This is called a direct payment. You can find out more about direct payments here

How can I access your supported living services?

We can provide supported living to people over the age of 18, regardless of how your support will be funded. If you are under 18, we can help you to plan the transition into adult support services through our transition support service. You can find out more about transition support here.

Your local council can refer you to us for supported living, whether or not you are eligible for council funding towards your support costs. But you don’t have to be referred – you can get in touch with us directly.

How do you keep a check on your supported living services?

All of our supported living services are inspected and regulated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in England and the Care and Social Services Inspectorate Wales (CSSIW).

This means all of our care homes are subject to regular visits by independent inspectors to make sure we continue to meet minimum standards of care and support. Inspection findings and reports are made public in both England and Wales, so you can find out how all our residential care facilities are doing at any time.

We also work hard as a charity to monitor how we’re doing. We constantly strive to deliver the highest-quality support that exceeds minimum standards and fully embraces our values. Our Quality and Policy team is responsible for auditing the support we provide to make sure we’re doing exactly that.

Our Personalisation team works closely day to day with all the people we support, to make sure we’re doing what we set out to do, providing individualised, person-centred and flexible support that enables each individual to live a fulfilled and happy life. You can find out more about Personalisation here.

How can Walsingham Support help me with supported living?

If you, a member of your family, or someone you care for would like more information or advice, or have any questions about supported living and the options available to you, get in touch with us.

We’re here to offer guidance and support, wherever you are and whatever you need.

Call us on 0333 405 1030*

You can also fill out the form at the bottom of this page and we’ll get back to you.

* Calls are charged at your local rate, wherever you’re calling from.

Direct Payments FAQs

How can direct payments be used?

Direct payments can be used to arrange and pay for the care and support a person needs, which will have been agreed between the individual and their local council and written up in a ‘personal care plan’. For example, direct payments can be used to:

buy special equipment to help with mobility
get a home help for a few hours a week
attend a day centre and take part in social activities.

How can we help with direct payments?

We can provide as much assistance as each person needs in managing the direct payments process, from application to ongoing support. We can help individuals to understand how much money they are entitled to and talk them through how and when they will receive it.

We support each person in exploring their options, like what sorts of support and services they can choose to buy, what types of support aren’t covered by direct payments, and arrangements for paying for them.

For added piece of mind, we can also help to set up a bank account in an individual’s name to receive the direct payments, and provide effective and transparent money management.

Most importantly, we understand that everyone is different – so we adapt our support to fit each individual’s choices and abilities. That means that how ‘hands on’ we are will entirely depend on what they want and need. We encourage everyone to play a full and active part in planning their support, and we work alongside them to help make decisions that are right for each person.

How do I pay for your support with direct payments?

We charge an hourly rate that includes all of the costs associated with supporting an individual. There are no hidden fees, and the cost includes:

recruiting and appointing a support worker to help you with everything you need
completing necessary checks relating to a potential support worker, including a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check and personal and professional references
providing relevant induction and training for support workers
help and guidance with managing your support workers, for example, paying them the right amount, making appropriate deductions (national insurance and income tax)
continuous support with any issues or concerns.

How can I find out more?

If you, a member of your family, or someone you care for would like more information or advice, or have any questions about direct payments and the options available to you, get in touch with us.

We’re here to offer guidance and support, wherever you are and whatever you need.

Call us on 0333 405 1030*

* Calls are charged at your local rate, wherever you’re calling from.

Alternatively please get in touch via our contact us form.

Transition Support FAQs

What does transition involve?

The process is different for everybody, because it will depend on your child’s needs and your family’s circumstances. Each and every journey is as unique as your child, and needs to deliver outcomes that suit them – and you.

We will help plan the next move, which could include support to:

continue living in the family home
explore opportunities to move into their own home
gradually move towards greater independence
access more hands-on care in a residential or extra care facility
find suitable education and/or work.

We’ll take time to get to know you and your child inside out, and find the ideal solution that matches their individual needs, goals and future plans, while safeguarding their existing links and relationships.

How does transition support work?

In our experience you can’t start planning early enough. You might want to start preparing your child for their future as an adult when they first become a teenager, and to encourage them to be involved – and make their own choices and decisions – if they are able to.

Planning ahead provides a clear pathway through the transition process and gives you more time to explore all the possibilities and how they work.

We take a person-centred approach to the support we offer, both during the transition and as your child makes their first steps into adulthood. This means that your child is at the centre of everything; we listen to what they want and what matters to them, so they are always at the very heart of conversations and decisions about their future.

We understand that the rest of the family has a huge stake in what happens to your child, so it’s important that we’re also there to offer help and guidance for the entire family during the transition period.

For us, this joint working approach is fundamental to delivering the very best outcomes for everyone involved.

What support will you provide during transition?

We understand that, at a challenging time when so much is going to change, it’s important that you and your child have as much continuity as possible. Our experience tells us this is key to a successful transition.

We will appoint a designated member of staff to deal with your child’s transition. This means that everyone involved – including you, other members of your family, and any professionals – has access to a single, named point of contact throughout the transition process.

Your named contact will guide you through all your child’s options, and help you to find the best and most appropriate adult support for their needs. They will steer you through the new processes and procedures, provide clarity and answer any questions you might have, like:

How much of a say will I have in what happens when my child reaches 18?
What types of support will we be entitled to?
What are my child’s and my family’s rights?
How will it all work?
How much choice will my child have?
Who will pay for what?
If my child needs or wants support away from home, will they be housed somewhere nearby?

You will probably have lots more questions, but we have the answers and we’re here at every step to keep things as simple as possible. Your named contact is supported by a team of passionate and committed staff, all of whom combine professionalism and a can-do attitude with a unique personal touch. You can find out more about our people here.

Do you provide services that my child will be able to access when they reach adulthood?

Yes. We have been supporting people with learning disabilities, autism, brain injuries and complex needs for more than 30 years, and we offer a diverse range of support services that empower individuals and their families and carers to live fulfilling lives. These include:

Positive behaviour support

Personalisation

The support we provide during transition is not dependent on your child going on to access our support services when they become an adult.

We will give you unbiased information, guidance and advice that will help you to make decisions that are in your child’s best interests, and support you in accessing whichever services they need through any eligible provider.

Throughout your child’s transition and beyond, we are committed to supporting them to develop their skills, build their confidence and boost their independence, so they can successfully adapt to adulthood and be happy.

How can I find out more about the support you provide?

If you have any questions or would like to find out more about us and the support we offer adults, we can talk you through the options during transition. You can also find out more by clicking on the links above and exploring the other sections of our website.

Or, why not pick up the phone? Call us on 0333 405 1030*

You can also fill out the form at the bottom of this page and we’ll get back to you.

* Calls are charged at your local rate, wherever you’re calling from.

Personalisation FAQs

How does personalisation work?

The key to personalisation is listening to what people want. It sounds a simple enough exercise – but it’s valueless unless it’s used in the right way to achieve the best outcomes for everyone.

Personalisation is important on an individual level, because it ensures people with support needs access and choose services that best meet those needs. But personalisation also means involving people who use services in shaping them, by encouraging them to feed back on what works and what doesn’t.

As a result, personalisation helps us to make sure we continue to meet our vision, mission and values, supporting people with disabilities to be happy and reach their full potential.

At Walsingham Support, personalisation means:

working closely with an individual to provide tailored, unique, high-quality care and support
empowering people to put themselves at the centre of their care and support so that, as far as possible, they are in control of their lives
supporting people to access high-quality, reliable information to make informed choices
ensuring all people have equal access to a range of opportunities
building strong partnerships with others to support individuals whether they live at home or in the community
encouraging and helping individuals to take positive risks in a safe, supportive environment, to enable them to develop life-enhancing skills.

How do you make sure you embrace personalisation at Walsingham Support?

Our dedicated Personalisation team exists to make sure individuals we work with have choices in their lives and control over what happens to them, as well as having opportunities to influence and participate in what we do at an organisational level.

We take a collaborative approach, so that people feel fully included in their own care, and supported in getting involved in initiatives and projects we run aimed at encouraging people with disabilities to live independently.

Part of the Personalisation team’s job is to consult the people we support on our work, what we do well, and what needs to be improved. For example, people we support sit on our boards and committees, helping to review our organisational policies and suggest changes.

They also take part in regional involvement groups, which meet regularly to discuss elements of their care, what Walsingham Support is doing to deliver person-centred services, how the current political agenda is impacting social care, and what all this means for people with disabilities.

The outcome of personalisation is that all people with learning disabilities, autism, brain injuries and complex needs can make positive changes to their own lives, and help to transform those of others.

How can Walsingham Support help me with personalisation?

If you, a member of your family, or someone you care for would like more information or advice, or have any questions about extra care and the options available to you, get in touch with us.

We’re here to offer guidance and support, wherever you are and whatever you need.

Call us on 0333 405 1030*

You can also fill out the form at the bottom of this page and we’ll get back to you.

* Calls are charged at your local rate, wherever you’re calling from.

Positive Behaviour Support FAQs

What is challenging behaviour?

Challenging behaviour is when a person behaves in a way that challenges people around them – for example, being aggressive or violent to others, self-harming, or having tantrums.

People with learning disabilities, autism, brain injuries and complex needs often face many difficulties in day-to-day life. These can vary from problems communicating with or understanding other people, and following instructions, to managing household tasks and getting around. This can lead to frustration and result in challenging behaviour.

Challenging behaviour can have other causes; for example, if someone is in pain or unhappy, but can’t express themselves in appropriate ways. For them, exhibiting behaviour that challenges can be the only way communicate to other people that something is wrong.

What is positive behaviour support?

Put simply – and as the name suggests – positive behaviour support involves supporting and encouraging more positive and healthy behaviour. It is widely accepted as the best way of supporting people whose behaviour is challenging.

We know that everyone is different and we wholly embrace that. Each person’s problems and obstacles are unique to them – and that is at the very heart of everything we do. It also underpins the concept of positive behaviour support.

Positive behaviour support is based on addressing the reasons why a person exhibits challenging behaviour, understanding the circumstances that lead to it, and working with the individual and their family to change it.

How do you ensure the individual you support is fully involved?

Everything we do takes a person-centred approach. This means that when we work with a person and their family, we listen to what they want and what matters to them, so they are always at the centre of conversations and decisions.

This is particularly important when it comes to positive behaviour support, because understanding the person’s own individual behaviours, and what makes them tick, lies at the heart of successfully tackling that behaviour.

We get to know the person and their family, and work with them to adapt the way we deliver positive behaviour support to make sure it’s shaped around the individual. Only when support is tailored to each person’s needs can it have maximum effect.

Our staff are fully trained in positive behaviour support approaches, and work with individuals to empower them to:

replace challenging behaviours with more positive and appropriate ones

boost personal skills, confidence and competence

lead a healthier and happier lifestyle

improve their quality of life.

We use best-practice techniques to challenge difficult behaviour, actively and positively engaging with the individual through structured activities in consistent and stable environments. This supports social, communication and interaction skills, and ongoing motivation and encouragement helps to sustain it.

How can Walsingham Support help me with positive behaviour support?

If you, a member of your family, or someone you care for would like more information or advice, or have any questions about positive behaviour support and the options available to you, get in touch with us.

We’re here to offer guidance and support, wherever you are and whatever you need.

Call us on 0333 405 1030*

You can also fill out the form at the bottom of this page and we’ll get back to you.

* Calls are charged at your local rate, wherever you’re calling from.