Carers Self Assessment Info for Professionals

1. 1. What’s the point of a Carers Self Assessment, when the carer can ask for a Carers Assessment?

The specific benefit of the Carers Self Assessment is that the identified support can be provided under urgent or immediate circumstances and is not subject to a panel decision under any circumstance.

A self assessment can provide services that Adult Social Care does not provide such as emotional support, free professional counselling and help with applying for benefits.

1. 2. What services can be put in place via a Carers Self Assessment?

There are a range of services available from the Carers Centre which can be identified through the Self Assessment process or by contacting the Centre directly. Some services can also provide support for carers in addition to services provided by ASC for example, attending carers support groups, help with applying for benefits, emotional support and access to training.

A full list of services can be found on page 3 of this document.

3. Does the Carers Self Assessment comply with government guidelines?

Yes absolutely, providing the ‘Social Care Professional’ has initially informed the Carer that he/she is entitled to a Carers Assessment in their own right and in private.

1. 4. When is it not appropriate to offer a Carers Self Assessment?

If the carer is providing a substantial amount of care on a regular basis it may be more appropriate that the carer has a Carers Assessment, bearing in mind that the Self Assessment particularly supports carers in the short term as an immediate response to urgent needs.

5. When should I offer a Carers Self Assessment?

There are a few occasions when you can offer a CSA:

a. When a carer has declined a Carers Assessment but would benefit from services provided through the Carers Self Assessment such as benefits advice, group support, short term sitting service, training etc.

b. When a carer does not meet eligibility criteria for services provided by ASC via a Carers Assessment.

1. 6. Does the carer have to be in the PCC social care system to benefit from services via the Carers Self Assessment?

Not necessarily, however for the provision of some services either the carer or the cared for should be registered on AIS/Swift.

1. 7. Why are young carers included in the Carers Self Assessment?

It’s important to support young carers; children are part of the family and may take on a significant part of the caring role or even the main carer and may be greatly affected by this responsibility.

Being proactive rather than reactive means support can be put in place which can prevent crisis intervention.

1. 8. Should every carer have a Self Assessment?

Some carers may not need a self assessment, their needs may be few,  but nonetheless could benefit from a service provided by the Carers Centre, such as joining a carers group or having help to claim benefits.

If this is the case you can either contact the Carers Centre on the carer’s behalf or give them our phone number or one of our leaflets.

1. 9. Is appropriate for me to assist a carer with the Self Assessment form?

Yes, some carers need help with forms for a number of reasons; staff from the Carers Centre can also assist with this.

10. Does the Carers Self Assessment apply to adults with mental health problems?

Currently yes, however work is underway developing a AMH Self Assessment form.

Services provided by the Carers Centre

• Breaks, in many forms, for example, financial support to pursue hobbies
• Sitting service
• Training courses
• Finance appraisals
• Group support/meetings/activities
• Sign postings
• Assistance in completing benefit claim forms
• Advocacy when involved with professional bodies
• Free emotional support
• Free professional counselling
• Guidance for working carers and their employers

Support for Young Carers:

• Weekly group meeting
• Activities
• 1-2-1 support
• Training
• Helping with problems
• Support for young carers in education (schools, college & university)

4.26 “Not infrequently social services departments have handed carers a questionnaire which they have then been asked to complete themselves. This process is acceptable, provided (1) the carer is agreeable and (2) provided the local authority appreciates that this is not an assessment – merely a preliminary stage; and (3) provided the questionnaire is not so daunting that it has the effect of deterring carers from progressing further. As the guidance explains ‘self-assessment forms can help [social services] prepare for assessment … best practice suggests that they cannot replace face-to-face assessment. This means that carers should always be informed – not only that they have the right to a face-to-face meeting for their assessment (in private) but that this is the ‘norm’.”

Luke Clements. Carers and their rights, The Law relating to Carers Third Edition