supporting broker

11:01 May 27, 2013 

What is a Support Broker?
Support Brokers help people to choose, plan and lead the lives of their choice if they are a disabled person, older person or family carer. The current system does not always recognise the full and rounded lives that disabled and older people aim to live. Good support brokerage goes beyond just looking at services and helps people to use all the resources available to them and plan more holistically.

Support brokerage originated in North America in the late 1970's and has been developing in the UK since 1996 with the introduction of the Direct Payments Act and more recently, the introduction of Individual and Personal Budgets.
Following the In Control and Care Services Improvement Partnerships national self-directed support pilots in 2005 and 2007, brokerage is seen as a crucial component of the move towards the transformation of social care under the Governments' Personalisation policies.

Support Brokerage in the UK is a diverse movement and Brokers range from being truly independent to being employed by a local authority.
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