Agenda, decisions and minutes

Direct Payment Peer Support and Personal Care Assistants., Cabinet Member Signing - Thursday, 11th December, 2025 2.00 pm

Contact: Richard Plummer Committees Manager  Email: richard.plummer@haringey.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

23.

FILMING AT MEETINGS

Please note that this meeting may be filmed or recorded by the Council for live or subsequent broadcast via the Council’s internet site or by anyone attending the meeting using any communication method. Although we ask members of the public recording, filming or reporting on the meeting not to include the public seating areas, members of the public attending the meeting should be aware that we cannot guarantee that they will not be filmed or recorded by others attending the meeting. Members of the public participating in the meeting (e.g. making deputations, asking questions, making oral protests) should be aware that they are likely to be filmed, recorded or reported on. By entering the meeting room and using the public seating area, you are consenting to being filmed and to the possible use of those images and sound recordings.

 

The Chair of the meeting has the discretion to terminate or suspend filming or recording, if in his or her opinion continuation of the filming, recording or reporting would disrupt or prejudice the proceedings, infringe the rights of any individual or may lead to the breach of a legal obligation by the Council.

Minutes:

RESOLVED:

 

The filming at meetings notice was noted

24.

Apologies for absence

To receive any apologies for absence.

Minutes:

There were none.

25.

Declarations of interest

A member with a disclosable pecuniary interest or a prejudicial interest in a matter who attends a meeting of the authority at which the matter is considered:

 

(i) must disclose the interest at the start of the meeting or when the interest becomes apparent, and

(ii) may not participate in any discussion or vote on the matter and must withdraw from the meeting room.

 

A member who discloses at a meeting a disclosable pecuniary interest which is not registered in the Register of Members’ Interests or the subject of a pending notification must notify the Monitoring Officer of the interest within 28 days of the disclosure.

 

Disclosable pecuniary interests, personal interests and prejudicial interests are defined at Paragraphs 5-7 and Appendix A of the Members’ Code of Conduct

Minutes:

There were none.

26.

URGENT BUSINESS

The Chair will consider the admission of any late items of Urgent Business. (Late items of Urgent Business will be considered under the agenda item where they appear).

Minutes:

There was none.

27.

DEPUTATIONS / PETITIONS / QUESTIONS

Minutes:

There was none.

28.

Direct Payment Peer Support and Personal Care Assistants pdf icon PDF 326 KB

Minutes:

Haringey Council had remained committed to promoting wellbeing, independence and choice by helping residents take greater control over how their care and support needs were met. Direct Payments (DPs) had continued to be the Government’s preferred mechanism for personalisation, enabling individuals to commission care that reflected their own priorities and lifestyles.

Disability Action Haringey (DAH) had been a key strategic partner, representing the Council’s work with disabled residents, supporting co?production, advocating for those furthest from decision?making, identifying service gaps, and working with the Council to address these issues both strategically and operationally.

 

DAH had delivered two core services central to the personalisation agenda:

 

  • Direct Payment Peer Support Service, offering independent, peer?based guidance to DP holders.
  • Personal Assistant (PA) Market Development and Matching Service, supporting the recruitment, training and matching of PAs with DP employers.

 

Both services had aligned with Think Local Act Personal (TLAP) principles, ensuring impartial, empowering support that could not be replicated in?house without compromising independence.

 

DAH had also delivered these services in line with Adult Social Care’s locality model. Each locality had been supported by an Independent Living and Direct Payment Officer embedded within Council teams, enabling close collaboration between DAH, social workers and the Direct Payments Team. Key features had included:

 

  • Local drop?ins and outreach sessions across community venues.
  • One?to?one case support, including budgeting, employment advice and peer mentoring.
  • PA recruitment and matching through a dedicated coordinator.
  • Peer support forums to encourage shared learning and confidence?building

 

The Cabinet Member RESOLVED:

 

3.1 The Cabinet Member for Health, Social Care & Wellbeing approved, in accordance with Contract Standing Order (CSO) 18.02.2 and CSO 2.01 (d) the extension of the contract for the provision of Direct Payment Peer Support and Personal Assistants Market Development, Recruitment and Matching Services with Disability Action Haringey (DAH) for a period of up to six (6) months from 1 April 2026 to 30 September 2026 as outlined in the original contract. The aggregated value of the contract including the proposed extension will not exceed £596k.

 

Reasons for decision:

 

4.1 In April 2024 Disability Action Haringey - the boroughs Disabled Peoples Organisation, and key strategic partner, was initially awarded a two-year contract with the option to extend for a further six months, to deliver Haringey’s Peer-based Direct Payment (DP) Support and PA Market Development Services. Contract monitoring meetings have taken place throughout the duration of the contract between the provider and commissioner – and the DAH are providing a good service which meets contractual outcomes including the following key achievements: Outcomes & Outputs (April 2024 – September 2025)

· DP holders increased from 600 to 730 (+21%), with 766 active users representing 23.5% of community clients.

· 275 new and existing referrals supported; 187 achieved outcomes linked to independence and wellbeing.

· 188 outreach sessions, 32 staff inductions, and 17 peer forums held (100+ attendees).

· 60 active Personal (care) Assistants in register, supported via drop-ins and training.

· 100% satisfaction reported for accessibility and quality; no complaints received.

 · DAH secured external funding  ...  view the full minutes text for item 28.