What your assessment could provide you with
The social services department has a duty to have regard to your ability to care [Disabled Persons (Services, Consultation and Representation) Act 1986] and to have regard to your assessment [Carers (Recognition and Services) Act 1995] when deciding what services to provide to the person you care for. Carers also have a right to receive services themselves separately from the person they care for [Carers and Disabled Children Act 2000].
Your local authority has the power to request the assistance of other authorities (eg Housing Authority, Local Education Authority, Health Authorities) to plan provision of services to you [Carers (Equal Opportunities) Act 2004]. These other authorities have to give due consideration to this request. This means that the services you could get are very wide-ranging.
On the basis of your carers assessment therefore, your local authority could provide you with a number of services, such as:
- Information
- Advice about who to contact in an emergency or crisis
- Day services for your loved one
- Help at home with practical tasks
- Respite care
- Residential care
- Carers services
– Eg an adult education course and sitting service to give you a break to attend the course
– Taxi fares to attend hospital appointments
– Counselling services
– Advice on benefits, housing, education or employment - Direct payments
– These are payments made instead of services that allow you to buy the type of services which you think will be most helpful to you
These are examples of services that your local authority could provide. They will decide what services to provide depending on what they believe your needs to be – this is why it is so important for you to have identified your needs very clearly (see What to do to prepare for the assessment).
