Guidance for Clients

Welcome to Clear Links, this page gives you information about using Support Workers through Clear Links.

Please take the time to read the information provided. Alternatively, you are welcome to ring us so that we can explain it to you.

First and foremost, please contact Clear Links if you wish to discuss any aspect of your support or the service we provide.

Please advise us if you have a preferred communication method (eg text, phone, post, email etc.) and we will use it wherever possible.

Always let us know if you change your mobile number, your phone number, your email address or your postal address. It helps us keep in touch with you.

In order to meet your requirements:

It is important that you provide us with information, such as your timetable, as quickly as possible.
If you have any specific requirements, or there are any change to your requirements, please let us know as soon as possible.
We will try, wherever possible, to take account of your preferences when providing a Support Worker.
It is important that you contact us immediately if you become aware of any difficulties or issues in relation to your support.
Please bear in mind that we require reasonable notice and time to make any changes to your support.

Working with a Support Worker

Before meeting your Support Worker:

Once we have matched you with a Support Worker you will receive a Client Confirmation of Support which tells you the name of your Support Worker.
The Client Confirmation of Support also confirms the type of support and number of hours which the Support Worker will be providing. If you have any questions about the type of support or the number of hours please contact Clear Links immediately.
The dates and times of support, based on the hours agreed in the funding confirmation letter (which you should have received from your funding body) and Client Confirmation of Support, should be agreed to suit both you and your Support Worker. If there are any difficulties arranging a suitable day or time to meet please contact Clear Links immediately.
If the Support Worker does not make contact with you within three days of you receiving the Client Confirmation of Support please contact Clear Links.

During your Support Session:

You should always maintain a professional relationship with the Support Worker.
All work for you, with you, and on your behalf, based on the Client Confirmation of Support is paid time for your Support Worker. All contact time with you is paid time for your Support Worker.
The Support Worker is only expected to provide the support stated in the Client Confirmation of Support. If you feel that the support is not meeting your requirements please contact Clear Links as soon as possible.
The Support Worker is not expected to act as an intermediary for you, or to act on your behalf.
Support workers working more than 4.5 consecutive hours have been advised by Clear Links that they must take breaks. A break, even if taken in your company, should not involve attending to any support requirements in any way.
Depending on your support requirements there will be certain materials that you will be expected to provide the Support Worker for the purpose of providing your support. For example, paper and pens for note taking support, allowance on your library card for any photocopying as part of library support. Please contact us if you require any clarification.
Support is usually available in term time only, unless otherwise agreed with your funding body and confirmed by us to your Support Worker.
If the Support Worker does not attend the support sessions as agreed you should contact Clear Links.
Support Workers are advised that they must not attend support sessions in a Client’s absence, unless it has been agreed in advance with Clear Links and the University Support Service.

After your Support Session:

You will be asked by the Support Worker to sign a Timesheet to confirm the hours booked for your support. Please make sure all details are correct. Please do not sign in advance for work which is yet to be carried out. If you have any queries please let us know.

Between Support Sessions:

If you need to cancel your support or change the time of it, it is your responsibility to contact the Support Worker and/or Clear Links.
You should try to give as much notice as possible to your Support Worker or Clear Links if you are likely to miss a session, for example because of illness.
If you are unable to give over 24 hours notice that you need to cancel the session, the Support Worker is entitled to claim payment for the booked session. This is claimed from your funding allowance.
If you do not attend a support session, or are unable to provide 24 hours notice of cancellation, your Support Worker has been advised to contact Clear Links. It is very important that we keep track of any short notice cancellations as funding bodies may withdraw funding if there are missed sessions.
If you have any specific concerns with regard to your support please contact Clear Links.

Professional Relationships

A professional relationship must be maintained with the Support Worker at all times.
A Client must refrain from talking to the Support Worker about personal matters which are not related to support role being carried out.
Contact between Support Workers and Clients should be solely for the purpose of providing support. Any requests for contact, other than for professional purposes, from a Support Worker to a Client (or a Client to a Support Worker) should be referred to Clear Links in order for guidance to be issued.

Confidentiality

All discussions between you and the Support Workers are confidential and information is normally made available to others only with permission.
However circumstances may arise when maintaining confidentiality may not be in your best interests (eg where there is a legal obligation, where there is an emergency situation, where there is a clear, significant and specific risk of harm). In such circumstances the Support Worker will, if appropriate, explain the reasons to you and seek permission to change the confidentiality boundaries. The Support Worker may obtain advice from Clear Links Support Ltd. Where absolute confidentiality cannot be maintained, Clear Links Support Ltd staff will discuss this with you.

If you would like any further information please contact us.