People on the Isle of Wight who need care and support are being invited, along with their carers, to attend a conference providing information about personal budgets and the wide range of support and services available in the community.

Two identical sessions will run during the day, one in the morning between 10.30am and 12.30pm and another in the afternoon between 1.30pm and 3.30pm.

There is no need to book, people can simply turn up on the day.

The theme for the conference is ‘Think Local, Act Personal’, looking at how people can become more independent, make full use of their local communities and using their personal budgets to give them more choice and control. It is also an opportunity to see how service providers have responded to the introduction of personal budgets by changing the way they work, offering a range of services that meet the needs of individuals.

The conference will give people the chance to talk to a range of organisations, from Funky Friends, a group providing young people with learning disabilities the opportunity to meet up on Friday evenings and socialise, to more traditional home care providers. Individuals employed as personal assistants and occupational therapists will also be at the conference to talk about how they work.

As well as providers, experts will be available to offer advice about housing, financial management and employing a personal assistant. Staff from the Isle of Wight Council will also be on hand to answer questions about personal budgets and putting together care packages.