Need Social Care?

Assessments – Your Rights

What is a carers' assessment?

This is your opportunity to talk about your needs as a carer with a social service or health worker.  It gives you time to talk about the things that could make life easier for you.

You are eligible for an assessment -

If the person you care for

• is living in the community (you do not have to be living with the person you care for)
• and is elderly and frail, disabled or has a physical or mental illness
• and is getting help from social services, or is eligible to have this help

and if the care you provide:

• is personal care, practical help, emotional support or a combination of these
• and is substantial , regular and essential for the safety and physical or emotional needs of the person you care for
• and may vary from day-to-day and week-to-week, but the impact of caring on your life is significant and on-going.  For example, you cannot take a break without making arrangements for the person you care for.

You are not eligible for an assessment if you are -

• a paid carer
• a volunteer with a charitable/voluntary agency

About the assessment

The person you care for has the right to have their needs assessed.

You also have the right to have your needs, as a carer, assessed. This may be done at the same time, or you may ask to have it done separately.  The assessment may also be done by a different social or health worker.

You have a right to an assessment even if the person you care for refuses theirs.

You can also ask to bring someone with you to your assessment, but you may find it helpful if the person you care for is not present during your assessment.

Having an assessment gives you the opportunity to:

• talk about things that may concern you
• talk to someone who is interested in you and will listen to you
• talk about things you are happy to do in your caring role and things you are not
• talk about your role and the different help and support that may be available o you

You might like to ask about:·

• other help you could get, apart from through social services and health
• how much services cost
• what to do if you want to complain
• the information we hold about you

If you are a child or young person under 18 and care for someone aged 18 or over such as a parent or relative, you can get help and advice from the Worcestershire Young Carers on 01905 799691

If you have a child with a disability, you will have an assessment of your child’s and the family needs, but you may request a separate carers assessment.

How you get a carers’ assessment

Ask your social worker;  or if you do not have one, phone 0845 607 2000 and ask to be referred to your local social work team for a carers assessment.

Before you have an assessment it is useful to sit down and think about the things you want to talk about, and what questions you will be asked.  To help you prepare, the following questions are the sort of things you will be asked.

• how and when did you start caring, and what has happened since then ?
• what are all the things you do for the person you care for, and which are the easiest and most difficult – and why?
• do you have health problems of your own and are they affected by your caring role?
• do you have a job, look after children or are you at school or college? If so are these affected by caring?
• are there things you would like to do but are not able to do, eg. seeing friends, hobbies, employment?
• what support do you currently have to help you to care?
• are you able to continue; if you were temporarily unable to give care what would you like to happen instead?
• what are your main concerns and wishes, and what would you like to happen and when?