A personal assistant works directly with one or more individuals, to support them with various aspects of their daily life so that they can live it in a way they choose. They’re usually employed directly by a person who needs care and support, and who manages and pays for this through a personal budget or with their own money. This person is their employer (and are often referred to as an ‘individual employer’). They can also be employed by a family member or representative, when the person they’re supporting doesn’t have the physical or mental capacity to be the employer. However, a personal assistant always works directly with the individual they’re supporting. It’s most likely that this should be through an employed arrangement, rather than being self-employed.

As a personal assistant you’re likely to be involved in many aspects of your employer’s life, and may be asked to provide support in the home, at leisure or at work. The opportunity to focus directly on the needs of an individual, and the diversity of the role, is what often attracts people to this type of work.

More information about Personal Budgets can be found on the Education, Health and Care Plan section 

Positive Future Consultancy (PFC) is an organisation with many years experience working with children and adults with learning difficulties, disabilities and barriers to life and learning.

How can we help you to recruit a PA?

PFC will endeavour to support families through the sometimes very difficult process of recruiting and appointing the right PA for each family. Together with Halton Borough Council, the Disabled Children’s Service and the Direct Payments Team we aim to make the process as seamless as possible.

PFC will recruit, pre-interview, acquire DBS checks and train PA’s to a standard of readiness to be introduced to families who are looking for the right PA for them.  We will have a bank of PA’s to choose from, enabling families to make a decision based on their needs and requirements.  PFC will strive to enable PA’s to reach a set standard providing them with the tools they need to carry out the role of a PA.

PFC will provide the PA’s with access to:

• training and support including:
  • Health and Safety
  • Manual Handling
  • Equal Ops
  • First Aid
• information, advice and guidance
• help in matching them to the right family.

PFC will assist families to establish a chosen family member as a PA with all the checks, training and support as an independent PA.

Halton Carers’ Centre help to support unpaid young and adult carers across the borough, see their website for details of services and support available

If you would like to register with the Carers’ Centre, complete the online form using the following links:

Halton Carers’ Centre Facebook page

Navigate is a phone-based support service for parents whose children have either been diagnosed with a disability within the past twelve months or who are on a pathway to a diagnosis. We offer up to six support sessions for parents with their own parent adviser who will provide a combination of practical advice and emotional support.

More details about what we offer, as well as our online referral form, can be found here Scope’s Navigate 

• Sibs for brothers and sisters of disabled children and adults
• RelationKit – no relationship is perfect – resources for families/parents, and see RelationKit information poster
• Citizen Advice Bureau wide range of support
• Foodbank – Runcorn and  Foodbank – Widnes
• Food Parcels/Gifts – Winter Warmth
• Family Information Service Tel: 0151 511 7375
• Halton Borough Council Tel: 0303 333 4300 (Mon-Fri 8am to 6pm)
• Halton Carers’ Centre
• Halton Carer’s Centre Newsletters
• Housing and Adaptations
• Housing and Homeless Advice

• Halton SEND Parent Carers Forum (HSPCF)
• Halton Speak Out – meet the team
• Halton Carers’ Centre
• Contact
• Halton Disability Partnership
• Sibs for brothers and sisters of disabled children and adults
• The Communication Trust
• Working Families
• Blue Badge applications/requests

When you are 18, you will be responsible for paying your own bills, how much you pay depends on whether you are in education, employment or looking for work. These are some organisations that can help advice you:

• Citizens Advice Halton
• Disability Living Allowance (DLA) claim form/information for children under 16
• DLA for adults
• Ultimate Disability Living Allowance Guide
• DWP Disability Living Allowance video’s
• Disability Service Centre – benefits helpline
• Carer’s Allowance
• Benefits and financial support for families
• Attendance Allowance
• Contact for families with disabled children
• DWP Benefit Checker
• Benefit Calculator
• Understanding Universal Credit – making a new claim
• Universal Credit 
• Access To Work Fund
• Benefits and Welfare Advice
• Council Tax and Benefits
• Household Support Fund
• GOV.uk
• Family Fund
• Family Fund – are you eligible to apply for a grant?
• Entitled To
• From Child to Adult
• Citizens Advice Bureau
• Christians Against Poverty
• Money Advice Service
• (PIP) Personal Independence Payment

Provides help and advice on moving from benefits to work, work experience/volunteering, starting your own business and support available when you start working.

• NEW DWP Benefit Checker provides a quick idea of what you may be able to claim
• Benefit Calculator gives a more detailed picture of what you may be entitled to
• Understanding Universal Credit – making a new claim is another way to access the Benefit Checker

• Halton SENDIASS – free confidential/impartial information, advice and support for children, parents, carers and young people
• Tel 0151 511 7733, email SENDpartnership@halton.gov.uk
• Easy Read Guides