Supporting People - Frequently Asked Questions
Listen- Who do we support?
- What kind of support is available?
- Do I have to have a social worker?
- How do I find out about services?
- How do I get a service?
- How long does the service last?
- What should I expect from a service?
- What if things go wrong?
- Will I have to pay for support?
The ‘vulnerable’ groups that Supporting People assists include:
- Gypsies and travellers
- Homeless and at risk of homelessness individuals and families
- Older people with support needs (including frail elderly people)
- Offenders or people at risk from offending
- People with alcohol or drug problems
- People with learning disabilities
- People with mental health problems
- People with physical or sensory disabilities or other long term health issues such as HIV/AIDS
- Refugees
- Teenage parents
- Women at risk of, or escaping, domestic violence
- Young people at risk or leaving care
Please note that people who need specialist support because they have a learning disability or long term mental health problem will have their support provided through the Community Team for People with a Learning Disability or the Community Mental Health Team.
What kind of support is available?
Supporting People funds housing related support. This can include helping you to:
- Ensure that you keep your rent or mortgage payments up to date including help with accessing benefits and managing a budget
- Ensure that you are safe in your home
- Get maintenance or repairs carried out
- Get adaptations installed
- Deal with neighbour disputes
- Settle into your new home
- Keep to the conditions of your tenancy
This list isn’t meant to be exhaustive and you may need support funded by Social Services or Health as well as Supporting People. Sometimes the support may be provided by the same people regardless of who pays for it.
Supporting People can’t help with personal care or health care or with specialist therapy or counselling, although you can be supported to find specialist therapy or counselling.
Some support is provided in specialist accommodation where staff are on duty for set periods each day. This includes sheltered accommodation. Other support, which we call floating support, is provided to you maybe once or twice a week, either in your own home or at another convenient central location. This kind of support is called floating support. Support that is provided at a central location includes the support provided by the Bracknell Forest Resettlement Team and the support provided at drop in sessions at New Hope by the Generic and Specialist Floating Support Service.
Do I have to have a social worker?
No. Supporting People can help you even if you don’t have a social worker.
How do I find out about services?
Some services are provided by Bracknell Forest itself, but many are provided by other organisations.
The Service Directory (currently being updated) shows who provides support, which groups are helped, who to approach for more details and how to be referred to the service. Some services have the option of self referral.
Some people may have needs under more than one client group heading and many of the services cater for people with complex needs, so this information is just meant to be a starting point for identifying the kind of service that might help a particular person.
The Service Directory tells you how referrals are made to the service. Some services accept referrals only through either the “Young Person’s Resource Panel”, the “Adults’ Panel” or the “Family Panel” although special arrangement can be made in the event of an emergency. Other services will accept referrals directly from service users and or through the Bracknell Forest Council My Choice bidding process for social housing. This will apply especially for people wishing to move into sheltered accommodation. There may be also a waiting list for some services and you need to contact the service directly to see if they have any vacancies.
How long does the service last?
Services can be short term, meaning they are meant to last for up to two years. These services include accommodation based services for young people and most floating support services or they can be longer term, for example sheltered accommodation or services for people with physical disabilities.
We know that sometimes people want and are ready to move on from a short term service but they can’t find anywhere to move to. When this happens the service is still called a short term service even if you stay there for more than two years.
What should I expect from a service?
You will be seen before you enter the service to make sure it can meet your needs. When you enter the service your support worker will work with you to make a plan which says what support you need and how you will get it. We expect the plan to be brought up to date at least once a year, or whenever your needs change.
Every service will have a complaints policy and they must let you know what this is. We would encourage you to use this if anything goes wrong.
Will I have to pay for support?
Most people don’t have to pay for their support. You won’t have to pay for help at all if you only need it for a fairly short period of time, up to 2 years, just to help you get back on your feet.
However, you may have to pay towards your support if the support is meant to last for an indefinite period of time which would be expected to be for more than two years. However if you have a limited income and for instance receive Housing Benefit, our Charging Policy means that you won’t have to pay for your support.. For more information, please see Supporting People - Charging Guidance.
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