Support

 

What we do.........

 

Admission to “Independent Futures”

We naturally want to ensure that all Service Users who wish to receive a quality service within “Independent Futures” are fully informed before they make their choice, and where needed a family member/advocate also have access to this information. We aim to ensure that the transition and admission into the service is structured and smooth ensuring that the Service User remains calm, settled and the prospect of uncertainty is reduced.

We have a Policy and Procedure in place for Admissions into “Independent Futures” and feel that the initial stage of the Admission is for the Management of “Independent Futures” to visit the Service User at their current accommodation. This visit is kept informal, introducing ourselves and the service to the Service User. We keep this informal to create security and safety for the Service User and to ensure the transition period remains calm from beginning to receiving the support. At this meeting we will carry out an Assessment to establish the needs of the Service User. This needs to be inclusive of the Service User, however where required input and feedback from family/advocates is very much valued. The Assessment will cover such topics as Individual Support Needs, Current Health Needs, Choices, Behavioural Issues, Medication and Religious and Cultural Needs. There are more areas and the scope is open to discussion and honest communication with all parties involved.

From this initial assessment, establishing the care needs could be met, we would offer the Service User an opportunity to visit the service. This would also be an informal visit that would allow the Service User the opportunity to meet with other tenants, staff, see the facilities available and to ask any questions that they may have. This integration process will help during the transition period. When the Service User is happy with the service and agrees that this is an environment in which they want to live and receive support we would agree with Care Management a moving in date, but would also offer at least 4 weeks transition work with the individual.  We also offer prior to moving in, an overnight stay where the Service User can come and stay with us, so that they can experience more of their new environment. This we feel is important to the success of the placement and ultimately the feelings of the Service User. This would be charged at an amount agreed with Care Management.

We would hope that following this period the final transition to moving in to “Independent Futures” would be smooth and with minimal upset to the Service User. We would continue to support this by arranging collection of Personal Belongings, which when arrived would be documented so we have a working inventory for the Service User.

Naturally not all Admissions can be structured this way, as often Emergency situations do occur. We do have a Policy and Procedure to support with this and we would endeavor to still carry out the Initial Assessment, but to reduce the pressure and stress on the Service User, the admission to home may be quicker.
We will deliver support and empathy at both levels of Admission maintaining certainty and security throughout.

“Independent Futures” will not offer the Service User a placement, if we feel that we cannot offer the full needs that the Service User requires, as this would prove detrimental to the welfare of the individual. We see this as a support process and minimal disturbance to their lives. It is important to include, offer choice and create independence for the service user, encouraging them to reach their full potential.

 

 

Summary

|Service Users and the Operation of “Independent Futures” |

“Independent Futures” believes that its Service Users have a right to speak freely about how their house is organized, run and how it develops over time, as it will impact themselves the greatest.

In accordance with this belief we offer the following strategies to maintain Service User involvement.

Monthly Service User/Tenants Meetings where there is an opportunity for the Tenants to express how they are feeling, how their accommodation is, what changes they feel are needed and we also take this opportunity to review any Policies and Procedures so that the tenants have involvement in how these are written, their content and how these should be published in accordance with the needs of each individual in mind.

Support Planning: It is here where the tenants can impact the service that we provide them in accordance with their needs. At this point which is regularly reviewed, the tenants needs are planned according to the time available to their support. We can use this time to specifically target the areas where they feel their support is most needed, but allows us to work alongside the tenant in ensuring that their package of support is based around them and concentrates on Person Centered Planning.

Annual Quality Assurance: With any service provider there is an importance to assess, improve and develop the service you provide, and the best judges are the people who receive the service. As part of the service we have an annual quality assurance check that involves questionnaires, meetings planning, all of which the tenants are involved in to ensure that their service, their home and their specific needs are being met.

These are just three of the ways we intend for our Service Users/Tenants to be involved in the operation of Independent Futures.