Contract for hosting and managing the Peer Associate Workers (Part of Kent and Medway Designated Keyworker Programme)

The Peer Associate role was designed to improve the experience of CYP and their families in navigating the complex care and support systems. Peer Associates are lived experience experts who provide CYP and families with practical and emotional support and connect them to community services/assets including to a peer community of support with similar lived experiences As a holistic and dynamic service, the whole family is supported, responding effectively to the needs of CYP and their families to create positive outcomes for families who may have felt let down by the system and feel isolated by their lived experience. As a needs-based programme, a family may be allocated a named Peer Associate to form a safety net around the CYP and family. The purposes of the Peer Associate team are to: 1 Provide practical and emotional support to CYP with complex care and support needs and help them and their families to access timely and personalised support in the community 2 Provide advocacy and give voice to CYP and family, ensuring they are informed about their rights 3 Assist families affected by extreme challenges to build resilience and cope with the stresses of living with a CYP with learning disability and/or autism.