Carer’s Assessments
If you are providing regular care for someone, you are entitled to have an assessment of your own needs by the local authority. You will be entitled to an assessment regardless of the amount or type of care you provide, your financial means or your level of need for support.
What is a carer’s assessment?
The purpose of a carer’s assessment is to discuss with social services the help you need with caring, together with help to maintain your own health and balance caring with your life, work and family commitments. It is an opportunity to make sure that your needs are understood and for you to talk about the help you need.
The assessment is free and confidential. It is not dependent on whether the person you care for receives any support from social services. You do not have to be living with the person you care for to receive an assessment, nor do you have to be the sole carer.
You also have the right to an assessment if you are planning to provide care in the near future – for example, for someone being discharged from hospital with ongoing care needs.
How do I get an assessment?
If the person you care for has a social worker or care manager, you can ask them to provide a carer’s assessment. Contact Buckinghamshire Council Adult Social Care Team on 01296 383204.
If the person you look after is in hospital, speak to a nurse and ask to be put in touch with a hospital social worker.
If you are a carer aged between 16 – 18, you can ask the family’s social worker for an assessment.
If you are caring for a person under the age of 18 your needs as a carer will be considered as part of the Assessment Framework for Children rather than as a separate carer’s assessment. However, you can still request your own assessment if you feel that this is necessary.
Buckinghamshire council also offers a carers self-assessment form which can be completed online. Please see the link below for further information on eligibility and how to apply.
Please call us on 0300 777 2722 for further advice and support about carer’s assessments.
What does the assessment involve?
A social care worker will arrange a time to speak with you that is convenient. This may be over the phone or through a home visit. You can choose to speak on your own or together with the person you care for.
A carer’s assessment should be a face-to-face discussion with the care professional; it should not be conducted over the phone nor should you be sent an assessment form to be filled in and sent back without discussion or assistance.
The assessment is your chance to talk openly about your caring role and how it affects you. It focuses on your wellbeing and what support could help you continue caring while also looking after yourself. Some of the issues you may want to consider discussing:
- the type of care you are providing and the time it takes
- what difficulties you may be having in your caring role
- what would happen in an emergency
- planning for the future
- how caring may be affecting your finances, health, housing, leisure, relationships and work
We recommend reading Buckinghamshire Council’s My Carers Assessments Factsheet to find out what you need to know for a carer’s assessment meeting.
Preparing for the assessment
A carer’s assessment is your time to discuss your own needs and concerns. The focus of the assessment will be on you and not the person you care for.
A carer’s assessment is your opportunity to talk about what matters to you and what you would like life to be like in the future.
It can help to think in advance about:
- what you are finding difficult to manage
- how your life used to be and what you would like to do again
- what support you feel would help you
- things you enjoy and want to continue doing
Meetings can last between 30 minutes and two hours. You can ask for support from an independent advocate if needed, and you should let the team know if you need information in a different format or help to communicate.
What happens after the assessment?
After assessing your needs, the care professional will discuss with you the best ways to meet them and develop a care plan to support you. The plan may include such things as opportunities for a break, information and advice on local support services for carers and benefits advice.
Some support services may involve a charge. This will be explained to you at the time. Some services are free.
Further information
For more details on carer’s assessments, visit Carers UK – Carer’s Assessment.
Are you caring for someone?
Do you look after someone who cannot manage without you because they are ill, frail or have a disability?
If so, you are a carer and Carers Bucks can help you.
