Finding out what's best for you
Our Brokers are trained to work in adult social care and their job is to help identify a customer’s needs with them. They make sure that a support plan is in place to meet the needs that are eligible for social care funding (from a local Council).
The process of working out what should be in a support plan can be described as support planning or brokerage and is not necessarily something that is done by a professional. Support planning can be done by yourself or with the help of friends and family. If you need some advice to get you started, or if you would like help along the way, you can speak to staff at Optalis, or we can put you in touch with an independent broker.
A support plan describes how the budget will be used to achieve the changes or outcomes a person wants to see, in the way they choose.
A support plan must:
What is a personal budget?
This is the amount of money that Wokingham Borough Council (WBC) or another local Council will allocate to a person with eligible social care needs so that the person can make decisions and choices about the care and support they want. When the assessment is complete, a planning amount is given to the person. That person then needs to work out what to put into their support plan which meets their needs and allows them to meet their desired goals. When the support plan is agreed by the local Council, the personal budget amount is confirmed.
Sometimes people have other funding available to put towards their care like Disability Living Allowance, Attendance, and Independent Living Fund.
These funds, combined with the personal budget from WBC, make up the budget a person has for purchasing their care and support.
Contact information
The Brokerage and Support Team is managed by Mike Geernaert.
Brokerage and Support Team
Optalis
Civic Offices, 1st floor
Shute End
Wokingham
Berkshire
RG40 1BN
Tel: (0118) 974 6832
Email: info@optalis.org
