Kellie Woodley of Skills for People outlines the help and Connect model which is transforming their advocacy practice. She also outlines emerging problems in personalisation in social care.

1. Help and Connect

2. An overview
Help and Connect was born out of
lots of discussion and help from Kate
and Simon.
Help and Connect was Skills for
People’s answer to a very different
and changing world
We believe that people themselves
and their families and friends are the
experts.
We believe that with a little bit of
help and information people really
can take control.

3. Help and Connect
• Information you need, when you need
it
• Someone to help you to take the first
step
• A place to learn to speak up and take
control
• Advocacy support
• Help people to plan

4. Planning Cafe
• Planning cafe every week – resource
walls
• Access to advice
• Help to work things out if needed
• Problem solving and negotiation
• Support to challenge decisions

5. What have we learnt
• Helping people do it themselves,
requires less resource from us.....
• We need to find a way to help people
pool/share their budget and/or
support

6. Problems in
• Professionals are often more
bewildered by the process then people
and families
• People and families feel like every
detail is scrutinised and less in control
then they have been
• families not trusted to have people’s
best interests at heart
• Given different and inaccurate
information – this is almost always

7. Big headlines!
•Cuts are being taken off at the beginning AND
individually – we have to support people to
challenge this locally and nationally
•Are families backed into a corner – take the
small budget or lose control?
•Are Social Workers behind this really? We are
mopping up poor practice and ill informed
workers
•The level of scrutiny for people, in comparison
to Providers is unfair – how can we use
Providers best? Shared Management?
•Lack of leadership nationally and locally
•Self directed Support with no soul