You don’t have to have a case manager post settlement as your child’s needs have been established and money set aside for these needs.  However, if the needs are high and carers are employed, the management of these services can be complicated (tax, NI, training, and payroll etc).  The case manager’s fee has been calculated and allowed for if used during Interim.  If you don’t use one this money accumulates, possibly for a time when they are needed. If you take on some of the work yourself, you may be able to claim an appropriate payment where the settlement and deputyship arrangements allow for this. Ask the Deputy and solicitor how your particular settlement deals with this. 

So, post settlement you have the option more to pick and mix your services.  Working with the case manager to see where savings can be made, such as organising your own holiday, must be a natural thing and not seen by them as you encroaching on their territory.  You are all working in the best interest of the child.  Carers you may be able to supply yourself from a friendship group/personal recommendation should be incorporated into the CMs team, training, insurance etc given.  Its much cheaper than outsourcing to a care company.  When you look at the financial breakdown you must be supplied with, you may find ways to do certain jobs yourself, and reduce costs.  A careful balancing act will have you able to manage certain areas and feel less sidelined, but also have someone do the heavy lifting.  It may be worthwhile to see what you can manage if the child’s settlement is reduced because of a percentage award or if the life expectancy is reduced.  Preserving money for a time when you are less able is possible.  Some statutory services can also be accessed. 

With a hybrid system you can do a lot of the research, which is time consuming, to cut costs.  You can do as much or as little as you want.  An example would be researching hoisting for a hot tub.  If you do all the measurements, work out what you want, google all available hoists that fit the bill and contact the suppliers about work costs, get reps out to survey the job then print everything out as evidence, you can just present this to the case manager and they can then action the purchase.  They may have someone they can get a discount from, but if the case manager then charges for work you have already done yourself, ask them to explain the charge. If they do, question this!  If you are too busy you can let them do all the research.  It’s up to you.