What are Direct Payments?

Direct Payments are payments that are paid to the parent or carer of a disabled child, or to disabled young person up to 18 years of age. It enables them to either arrange and pay for their own support and services or receive support from an independent sector provider.

Direct Payments allows you to employ your own staff to provide care and support for your child or young person. This is instead of receiving assistance arranged from Cornwall Council.

A Direct Payment offers greater choice and control over how you manage your child’s needs. It can also provide increased independence for a young disabled person. 

There is no charge for choosing Direct Payments and your entitlement to welfare benefits will not be affected.

Who can receive Direct Payments?

Anyone who has parental responsibility for a disabled child or young person aged up to 18; and where an assessment has been undertaken by a social worker, confirming there is an identified need and that additional social care intervention is required to meet those needs.  The Direct Payment provision will be included in the Child Plan.

What can Direct Payments be used for?

Direct Payments can be used to buy a service or support that meets the identified assessed needs of disabled children and young people. This could be over a specified period of time or as a one-off payment.

Some families choose to employ a personal assistant to provide care and support. This may enable your child or young person to access activities, increase their independence, as detailed in their Child Plan. 

Direct Payments can also be used for accessing short breaks, if this has been identified as an assessed need.

You have a responsibility to ensure that the Direct payment funds are spent only on the needs identified in the child or young person’s Child Plan.

The Child Plan will be reviewed at regular intervals or where there is a change in need or change in circumstances. This may mean that Direct Payments would increase, decrease or cease. You should let your social care worker know if your child or young person’s needs have changed.

How are Direct Payments accessed?

An assessment of need is undertaken by a social worker. If your child or young person is eligible for social care support or services, a direct payment is one way of meeting the needs that have been identified.

If you choose Direct Payments, Cornwall Council has a duty to make sure that the service safeguards and promotes the welfare of your child or young person.

The Council will make the arrangements and meet the costs for personal assistants to follow the enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checking process.

If you are the parent/carer of a disabled child and you would like an assessment, please contact the Multi Agency Referral Unit (MARU) on 0300 1231 116.

Further information 

You can download the following PDFs from the right hand side of this page

• Direct Payments Information Leaflet 
• Direct Payments Policy for Children and Young People
• Adult Social Care Direct Payments Policy 

Contact, a charity for families with disabled children, have some information on the difference between personal budgets and direct payments