I am writing to you to provide an outline of my unique situation and the difficulties I have supporting my sister, Dianne. From my address you can see that the most obvious one is that of distance, in addition to that I have to draw attention to the different systems which operate in both countries and my lack of in-depth knowledge of health and welfare in the United Kingdom, having been a citizen and resident of Australia since 1984.
Dianne is some four years younger than me and lived her whole life with my mother who cared for, and supported Dianne with all her needs, until she unfortunately passed away in 2017. During the later years when I visited, and as Mum was becoming frailer, it became very evident that Dianne was not able to cope with many of the everyday expectations of managing bills, budgeting and other life skills. More worrying was that Dianne appeared to lack the ability to read people’s behaviour and was thus vulnerable to exploitation and financial abuse.
I did have discussions with the Social Worker who was supporting my mother and she suggested that Dianne may indeed need assistance ongoing. Indeed, she went as far as providing contact details for me to make an approach to the County Council if I felt the need. It soon became clear that Dianne did indeed need guidance, she had no concept of budgeting, how to manage the household bills or how to ensure she didn’t get into debt.
Unfortunately, an assessment visit from the Social Services was very cursory and they deemed Dianne capable.
After much research and many months of worry I finally discovered the PDS. I can’t begin to tell you the relief I felt when I finally had a consistent point of contact, who did indeed treat Dianne as an individual and who have continued to provide me with ongoing reassurance, during the years that they have managed her finances. At the time Dianne was taken into their management she had less than £2,000, down from £21,000 at the time of Mum’s passing. Under their guidance she now has just over £10,000.
However, it’s more than just money management, the PDS encourage their clients to have as much agency as possible over their lives and provide a personal touch that shows they are really committed to the responsibility that they have taken on. During the initial period of Dianne’s time without Mum she had a major mental breakdown, the PDS provided a Mental Health Advocate for Dianne and checked on her whilst she was in hospital.
Living on the other side of the world, in Australia, means that I have the security of knowing I can speak to someone on a small intimate team, someone who has probably worked with the PDS for some years and who knows Dianne’s case well. My experiences with my aged father’s care have shown that the Social Services have a tremendous turnover of staff, if I am lucky enough to get an email contact that will often disappear within 9 months of so.
What I am really trying to say is that the PDS doesn’t just represent Dianne but also myself, this must be the case for other families who use their service. I cannot navigate the system within the UK and I cannot stress enough the mental anguish I suffered before Dianne was under the care of the PDS. They are a warm, caring and responsible team which cannot be replicated by a large local government organisation.
Dianne, who unfortunately is still struggling with her mental health, is now in a position to enjoy life without stress and enjoy a few treats and luxuries. I know in Australia that many people with mental health problems become homeless due to lack of social capital and the ability to advocate for themselves. The PDS isn’t just a manager but one that promotes agency and empowers their clients to live well.