...a carer who has needs as a consequence of their caring role are entitled to a carers assessment

From April 2015, local councils across England must ensure that carers who feel they need some support are offered a carers’ assessment.  The right to an assessment under the Care Act applies to adult carers providing care to another adult, however it also makes provision for local authorities to complete a carers assessment

Parent carers caring for a child or young carers caring for an adult or child have a right to an assessment of their own under the Children and Families Act 2014 and should contact Children’s Services on 0300 5550 050

An individual who provides care through a paid contract (including direct payments) or through a formal ‘voluntary’ contract are not eligible for a carers assessment.  However, in a situation where a carer is paid to provide care for an adult but is also providing unpaid care for that person, the local council must consider whether to carry out a carer’s assessment for the part of the care they are not providing on a contractual or voluntary basis.

A carers’ assessment is an opportunity for carers  to discuss with the council their  needs and feelings as a carer and what support or services they  need to help them  continue caring.

A carers’ assessment will look at:

  • the carers needs for support
  • the practical and emotional sustainability of the caring role
  • the carers willingness and ability to continue to provide this support

 

The carers’ assessment must also look at the impact of the caring role on the carers

• health & wellbeing

• caring responsibilities they may have for a child or children or any other person they may provide care for

• ability to work; access education or training or engage in recreational activities

• what  the carer wishes to seek to achieve in their  daily life and whether support could help them  achieve these things

• whether you or the person you are caring for would benefit from preventative support or information and advice.

To discuss a carers assessments Dudley Carers Network on 01384 818723 or email carers.network@dudley.gov.uk

 

Alternatively, if you or the person you care for has a named social worker or health care worker you can speak to them about requesting a carers assessment.

 

To make a referral for a young carers assessment contact Spurgeons Dudley on 01902 877550

or email dudleyyc@spurgeons.org

 

Eligibility criteria

The Care Act 2014 introduced a national eligibility criteria for carers, which councils must use when deciding if a carers’ needs meet the new rules and therefore have eligible needs for support.

If the council decides that a carer is  not eligible for care and support, it must  still  offer information and advice.

A carer will meet the national eligibility criteria if there is, or is likely to be a significant impact on their wellbeing as a result of providing unpaid care to another adult.  To decide whether a carer has eligible needs the council must answer the following three questions:

  • Are the carer’s needs a result of providing ‘necessary’ care for another person?
  • Does the caring role have an affect on the carers physical or mental health and/or are they unable to   achieve one or more of the outcomes defined in the Care Act 2014?
  • If the carers physical or mental health is affected or they are unable to achieve one or more of the outcomes the council must decide whether there is, or  there is likely to be a significant impact on the carers wellbeing?

If, the answer to all three questions is yes, then the carer has eligible needs

The council will only decide whether a carer has eligible needs once an assessment of the carers needs has been completed.

For more information on the national eligibility criteria visit the council’s webpage which explains the details of this click here

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