Celebrate World Book Night with Rastamouse - Brent Council

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The way adults with a disability receive care and
support from Brent Council is changing from 1 April
this year. There will be more importance given to
activities in the community and more control for
people who use services and their carers. MARTIN GAVIN
looks at a new system called Self Directed Support
(SDS) and two people who are already using it.
THE BRENT MAGAZINE MARCH 2011
Brent Council must save £37 million
next year (April 2011 to April 2012)
and many services will be changing
because of this. But saving money is
not the only reason for reviewing and
modernising adult social care. The
work to provide better and affordable
services in future began several years
before the current financial pressures
took hold.
The Day Opportunities Strategy is
the council’s day care services plan
for people living with a physical or
learning disability. The strategy
was approved last year following
consultation with carers and people
who use the services. It aims to give
people more control over the type of
care they receive and make adult social
Adult so
is changin
Alexander Adeyeye
is 21 years old and lives with his
parents and sister. He has Asperger
Syndrome and a moderate learning
disability. Using the council's Direct
Payments scheme he has decided to
receive his support from the National
Autistic Society.
Alexander said: "I have six hours
of Direct Payments which I use
to do work experience and things that I
enjoy like rapping, art or social groups.
I get support from my personal assistant
and I can do it every week because of
my direct payments."