Local Support With Confidence schemes are set to close

Support with confidence to be withdrawn at the end of 2023

East Sussex County Council operate the Support with Confidence scheme under a license that is purchased from Action for People. They have made the decision to withdraw the Support with Confidence brand from use as of 31 December 2023.

This means all current Support with Confidence schemes will need to close on this date, including the scheme that's delivered in East Sussex.

Support With Confidence has provided a great service and support to personal assistants and the local community, both of which are concerned about this outcome. Clients that require care in there own home are finding it difficult to find personal assistants and with the local register to cease, it's potentially going to leave a lot of vulnerable clients not knowing who to turn to for support.

Charlene O'Toole, owner of Bourne Support Services has said, "I myself am a provider where I am advertised and vetted through the Support With Confidence scheme and the council. This gives clients security of knowing who’s legit and experienced".

Clients aren't always able to find there own providers and rely on adult social care referrals to do this who would then contact the providers. If this is no longer in place, there could potentially be a misunderstanding of who’s Self-Employed or who should be employed, which could create added stress on service users and potentially create a safe guarding issue.

There are roughly 300 PA members that will be affected in East Sussex alone as well as approximately 30 businesses.