13 - 25 YEARS - STAYING OUT, STAYING IN SCHEME
Scheme for Individuals or groups of 2 - 4 young people aged 13 - 25
Available to EBR MENCAP members only.
Want to go out with your friends but need a bit of help to do this?
Want to leave your parents behind?
This could be the scheme for you!
The Staying Out, Staying In (SOSI) scheme is available for young people with a learning disability between the ages of 13 and 25 years old.
The scheme provides an opportunity for individuals or for groups of two or four young people with learning disabilities to go out to an activity of their choice, or to stay in with an appropriate number of support workers.
The provider of support workers is SMILE, an agency which offers a high quality Domicillary Care Service based on experienced trained support workers working with individual children and young people.
Accessing the Service
Initially a representative from SMILE will meet you to discuss the scheme and the level of support required. They will draw up all necessary paperwork to ensure the most appropriate care is provided.
A SMILE support worker who matches your family's need will then be identified and a first meeting arranged. SMILE will endeavour to ensure the quality and continuity of care for every young person and family but regrets that sometimes it is not possible to meet every request for dates, times, or a specific support worker.
There is an out of office hours number for emergencies (not for bookings). You will be given this when your booking is confirmed.
Bookings
Bookings are made direct with the SMILE office. The office is open 9.00 - 17.00 Monday to Friday. Telephone 02380 616215
Parent/carers will be more successful in obtaining a booking if they give plenty of notice, so please try to make arrangements well in advance. The minimum booking is for two hours on any one occcasion.
Monthly Allocation
The current scheme allows each members to access TEN hours per calendar month. These must be used on weekdays, BEFORE 22.00 hours.
Parents/carers are responsible for monitoring their booked hours. If a member uses more than the allocated 10 hours per month then they will be expected to pay the total cost of those additional hours.
EBR MENCAP takes no responsibility for members who use more than 10 hours a month.
Cancellations
If a booking is cancelled with less than two working days notice, EBR MENCAP will still be charged for the booking and therefore the booked hours wil be deducted from your allocation for that month.
Costs
The allocated support workers can be with the young people only on weekdays until 22.00. EBR MENCAP pay the cost of the support workers working only within this period. (The hourly rate is £18.33)
Weekends are from Friday 22.00 to 08.00 Monday. Support booked within this time is not covered by the SOSI scheme so members would bear the full cost.
For activities away from the place of residence, members are responsible for transporting the young people to and from the agreed meeting lace. This is to ensure that the young people do not use their valuable social time travelling to and from a venue with the support worker.
Members are responsible for any extra costs incurred by the Support Worker during the time of support. This includes entrance fees and food, which should be paid for on the day of the activity. Any mileage costs incurred in driving between two venues where activities have taken place during one session, (for example if the group goes bowling and then goes out for a meal) will be verified by SMILE and invoiced to members.
PAGE UPDATED 20 NOVEMBER 2009