Our latest AccessAva Newsletter brings together a range of exciting developments, resources and opportunities to help more people access trusted social care information.
From making AccessAva available directly through your organisation's website to helping people better understand their social care rights, we're continuing to explore ways to make information more accessible and support people to navigate the social care system with confidence.
Here's a look at what's happening at AccessAva and how you can get involved.
Join our free essential adult social care information session
Our essential adult social care information session aims to help people who draw on social care services, as well as those supporting a friend or family member, better understand the system and feel more confident about accessing support.
The session is designed for members of the public rather than professionals working in the social care sector.
What will the session cover?
We'll explore:
The four stages to securing social care.
Your rights and what you may be entitled to.
Practical tips for getting the support you need.
How to navigate the system with greater confidence.
What to do if you're struggling to get the right support.
There will also be an opportunity to ask questions during a live Q&A. The session will be recorded, so you can catch up afterwards if you're unable to attend.
Session details:
Where: Online via Microsoft Teams
Duration: Two hours, including a short break
Cost: A free ticket option is available, alongside a £10 paid ticket for those who are able to contribute.
Find out more and register for the session.
This month's Top Tip: Do you pay for your own care?
If you pay for your own social care, you might assume that you're responsible for navigating the system entirely on your own. However, this isn't necessarily the case.
Under the Care Act, local authorities still have important responsibilities towards people who fund their own care.
Depending on your circumstances, you may be entitled to an assessment of your needs, information and advice, and support from your local authority.
Knowing where you stand and understanding your rights can make a real difference when arranging care and support.
Our latest Top Tip explores what self-funders need to know and explains where to find out more about their rights.
Read our latest Top Tip: Do You Know Your Rights as a Self-Funder?
What's new with AccessAva?
We're always looking for ways to improve AccessAva and make it easier for people to find and use the social care information they need. Here are two developments we're working on.
Coming soon: Send your AccessAva letters straight to your inbox
We're making it easier to keep track of the letters you create using AccessAva.
From the end of November, you'll be able to send letters directly to your email inbox. This small but useful improvement will make it easier to keep a copy of your letter, find it again when you need it and store it alongside other important information.
Making it easier to find the right information: Ask a Question
We've also updated our Ask a Question feature, which you can find in the AccessAva menu.
If you're unsure where to start, simply tell AccessAva what you need help with or ask a question. It will then direct you to the most relevant topic area for your information request or issue.
We'll continue to develop and improve this feature based on the questions people ask, helping make it quicker and easier to find the information that matters.
Tech 4 Good: How can technology help charities make a difference?
How can technology help charities better understand people's experiences, identify gaps in support and extend their impact?
This was the focus of a recent episode of the Tech 4 Good podcast, featuring Access Social Care's Founder and CEO, Kari Gerstheimer.
In the conversation, Kari explores why technology needs to be centred on people and their experiences. Digital tools should do more than simply make processes quicker. They should help people understand their rights, access information and take action when something isn't right.
At Access Social Care, this is central to what we're working towards. By making social care legal information freely available around the clock through AccessAva, we want to help more people navigate the system and access the support they are entitled to.
Read more and listen to the Tech 4 Good conversation.