James’s Story - Individual Employer

I have a 12-year-old son who receives a direct payment which is used to employ two Personal Assistants (PAs). The support is varied, sometimes his PA will pick him up from school and take him to the park or home to watch films and then makes him tea. My son has Down’s Syndrome and is forthright about what he wants to do. My other PA has a family of their own and they are able to provide support in the evening when we need it.

Having a direct payment has made a difference, it gives me more freedom. I like that I don’t have to have set hours, it’s super flexible and gives me time to spend with both my sons. Soon I will need to find a PA with set hours though as I’ll be starting a more routine job.

I would recommend having a direct payment, we tried council arranged support which doesn’t work for us. As well as the flexibility I can bank hours to use for something my son wants to do. I would recommend understanding the full process of setting up a PA and getting started with actively looking for a PA because it can take a long time, that’s the hardest part, finding a PA. I use a payroll company to pay the wages and like the freedom within that.

I found our PAs through word of mouth and one is a friend. A positive about having a direct payment is that my son has a say in his care. I like the flexibility and the relationship and trust that has developed between us. The negatives are struggling to find PAs.

James - Individual Employer