PHILIP is Anna’s son. He has diagnoses of autism, global developmental delay and Crohn’s disease.

Anna has been Philip’s full-time carer for 20 years and now hopes to become a nurse after securing a place to study at Aberystwyth University from September.

However, she can only undertake her studies with additional care and support in place for her son.

With the help of the Ceredigion Direct Payments Support Service, this dream could soon become a reality as Anna is in the process of recruiting assistants to care for Philip.

Philip’s needs are significant and complex, and with his special dietary requirements, caring for him is a full-time job.

As the family are not ready to place Philip in residential care, having Personal Assistants look after him full time will allow Anna the freedom to study and follow her career.

This will not be the first time Anna has used the Ceredigion Direct Payments Support Service to employ personal assistants.

When Philip was younger, local schools were unable to meet his needs, so instead of placing him in a special residential school far from home, Anna opted to home-educate him.

She used direct payments to employ carers part-time to play with Philip and provide social experiences which gave Anna some respite.

“Many wonderful and caring people have come through our door over the years,” she said.

“Some stayed and became part of Philip’s life for three years, six years, or even ten years or longer.

Others only stayed a few months, but many of them became lifelong friends and became like family.”

There are currently over seventy individuals in Ceredigion looking for support that will enable them to live life more independently.

As a personal assistant or PA, you will be employed directly by an individual who’s managing and paying for their own care through a social care direct payment.

To find out more about a rewarding career as a personal assistant, visit: https://www.ceredigion.gov.uk/resident/social-care-wellbeing/direct-payments-recruitment/