Will there ever be a charge to use the website and how is it funded?

There will never be a charge for the services which are currently provided for free on the website.

The funding from the website will come from sponsorship, advertising and premium functionality.

How will you protect vulnerable service users?

The steps which have been taken to protect vulnerable service users (including children) are outlined in the safeguarding policy.

How will you keep data safe?

The steps which are taken to keep the data safe are outlined in the IT security policy.

Who is the website for?

The website is useful for any services or individuals who are able to support (support providers) and it is also useful for services or individuals who are in need of support (support recipients).

Will the website be used to bypass the role of support workers and/or social care staff?

The foundation for productive support and/or social work is relationship building; this is an essential aspect of the work which cannot be replaced by any app or website. It is hoped that Team Around You will help to reduce the bureaucracy which can often take workers away from spending quality time and building relationships with service users. We are also aware that many support workers were not clear about which services were in their local area, or in the area that their service user wishes to move to: Team Around You provides this information.

That said, most people who need access to services do not require the support of staff to access these services. Team Around You empowers people to be able to access services directly.

How have you included service users in the design of the website?

The founder of the Team Around You website (Tay Jiva MBE) is an experienced qualified social worker who has implemented over 20 years of experience in various social care sectors. We have also linked closely with many services – including staff and the service users – in order to determine how we can best develop the service in a way that is helpful to them. Involvement of the website users is very important to Team Around You and as the website progresses we will form even closer relationships with all partnership services and service users.

What do you plan to do in the future?

There are a number of developments which are underway, in order to improve the use of the website for individuals, groups and organisations. It is expected to take a number of years to actualise the full plan for the Team Around You service.