My son has severe learning difficulties, can't count at all, needs support with his money as he lives alone with carer support. Care staff are completely incapable of keeping accurate records. There is now a 10 year history of financial abuse involving 5 different care agencies. CSCI used to inspect money management, CQC say it's not part of their job. It's up to the LA. I've yet to meet any social worker who is happy investigating either, even when I've made formal complaints of financial abuse. In my county, this means that vulnerable adults are left wide open to abuse. I would like to see CQC investigate financial management to prevent abuse. Widespread use of the DoH document called "My Money Matters". Care staff responsible for money should have a money equivalent of the Food Hygiene Certificate. I use to manage accounts for a hospital in Western Australia, and have a degree in Business Studies involving Accountancy, but the LA will not take note of what I'm saying, or let me show agencies what they should be doing, because it's inappropriate as "I'm the parent"!! With more and more vulnerable adults moving out of long stay care into the community, there needs to be far more attention paid to how their money will be managed.

I find it difficult to find out about financial support as doing abut 10 hrs work a week gives me £50 yet I heard from a friend that if apply for income support that the benefits are cut so I'm scared to apply as and will build up more debt instead why is it not easy as when your caring you want life to be easy and hastle free you have a living wage of £7.20 and your saving nhs and social services money and hastle and you pay there staff more. yet you feel like poo on someone's shoe let's have living wage for all carers eg; 7.20 x 35 hours as many do not have any savings

I have cared for my severely autistic and epileptic son since he lost his speech quite suddenly at 3 and regressed until he lost all his speech and language and became developmentally damaged . He has extremely violent outbursts and needs constant 24 hour care to manage his epilepsy and to provide any kind of wellbeing in his life. He is now 21 and placed in a residential care home 45 minutes from our home. He is as happy and well as he able to be, the staff are kind and diligent, well trained and well supported by their management . They listen to us and allow us to contribute to his care and enjoy what little is possible of his life. I have visited perhaps 12-15 care settings at different stages of our son's life and received and seen extreme variations in the quality of provision . It is the hardest thing a parent can do : to entrust your damaged and vulnerable child, without speech to tell you what is happening to him, requires absolute faith and trust in the people and organisations involved. Sadly most of these places that wasn't remotely possible. I would be more than happy to give your committee the benefit of my extremely hard won experiences -but it will be uncomfortable for us all! I would consider it a privilege to inform anyone who is interested in making policy which would make a positive difference for children and young adults like my son. And Ofcourse there are the carers too ... Like myself , who try to keep it all together , often with no sleep, no practical help and no hope of a good outcome. Just ask me .