question about over night respite care & direct payments

[lovelybubbly]

hi all, i'm very new to this site as just joined today.

i have a son who is 6 years old & has severe cerebral palsy, hydrocepahlus, epilepsy, multiple learning difficulty & is wheelchair bound.
i was recently granted 2 over night respites a month through social services, as i am a single parent, with very little support & i also have another baby on the way, but after using a family/carer through barnardos, i feel that it was not for us & didn't feel comfortable leaving my son with a family who he barely knows.

i spoke to my mother who said she woul be willing quit her current job to help me care for my son, but i was wondering if anyone knows whether i would be able to use the direct payments to pay for my mother to give my son the over night respite care, as i feel who better to care for him than another family member. rather than a family who don't hardly know him & have to be trained in his care needs. where as my mother already knows how best to care for him.

i just wanted to know whether social services would allow me to do this, before my mother goes ahead & quits her current job.

Afaik they changed it so it can be used for family members as long as they don't live in the same home. Google DPs on direct.gov

social work have to agree that the family member is the best person for the job

this is from the contact a family info...

Direct payments and employing
close relatives

The general rule is that you cannot
normally use direct payments to
employ a close relative. However
social work can agree to make an
exception to this rule, and allow you
to employ a close relative if they
believe that this is necessary to
?safeguard or promote the welfare? of
your child. Social work can agree to
this even if the close relative shares
your household.

given that you have tried other respite and found it unsuitable i think its work asking about employing your mum as she is familiar with all your childs health needs.

oh thanks ever so much, i will ask my social worker on monday now. just didn't want to ask her if it was going to be a definate no go.