Are you a carer?
A carer spends regular time providing unpaid support to a relative, partner or friend who is ill, frail, disabled or has a mental health condition or an addiction dependency.
What is a carers assessment?
From April 2015 carers are entitled to an assessment in their own right.
You may be juggling work and care and this is having a big impact on your life. You don’t necessarily have to live with the person you are looking after or be caring full time to have an assessment. The person you support does need to live in Telford and Wrekin.
A carer’s assessment provides you with the opportunity to identify what information; advice and support will be beneficial to you by reflecting on the following questions.
- Does your caring role affect your ability to carry out any caring responsibilities you have for a child?
- Does your caring role affect your ability to carry out caring responsibilities for another adult outside your caring role?
- Does caring affect your ability to maintain your home and garden?
- Does caring affect your ability to shop and prepare nutritional meals for yourself?
- Do you feel able to develop and maintain family or other personal relationships that are important to you?
- Do you struggle to engage in work, training, education or volunteering?
- Are you able to access facilities in the local community such as leisure centre, shops, attending appointments, post office and pharmacy for example?
- Do you have time to yourself to do the things which are important to you such as social activities; fitness programme, recreational interests and personal development?
- As a consequence of your caring role does this affect your own health and well being?
When the assessment is complete this will give you an idea of what would make a difference and assist you in your caring role. It may be that an individual payment can be accessed to help you to meet those identified needs and aspirations.
The following may be offered to you, depending upon the outcome of your carers assessment.
View more information on eligibility criteria page.
How do I get a carers assessment?
Generally this assessment is completed at the same time as the person you are caring for is being assessed.
The assessment can be completed on another occasion by a different worker or alternatively you can contact the Carers Centre.
- Contact Family Connect on 01952 385385 (please select option 3 when prompted).
- Alternatively if the person you care for has a Social Worker/Adult Practitioner - you can request an assessment from them.
Will I have to pay?
The assessment is free and does not take into account your financial situation.
Assessment reviews
A review happens at least once a year unless your circumstances change or you feel things are not working well.
What help could I get?
Following your Carers Assessment your Social Worker/Adult Practitioner will discuss what support is available to you. This can be further advice and information, including signposting to other agencies that may be able to help you.
Your Carers Assessment may also identify that you would benefit from counselling. These would be counselling sessions to focus on you and give you the opportunity to talk about the impact your caring role has on your life.
You may also identify that there is something that would help you in your life that would make caring more manageable for you and the person you care for. This may be specific to your circumstances. For example, because of your caring role you find going to the shops difficult and keeping in touch with family and friends. You may wish to purchase a tablet or laptop to help you keep in touch with family and friends and order your shopping online.
You would receive a Carers Personal Budget, as a one-off Carers Direct Payment to help you purchase the tablet or laptop.
Another example may be you identify from your Carers Assessment that it would be of benefit to you to learn how to drive, to support your caring role. We could provide you with a one-off Direct Payment to support you with the cost of driving lessons.
To find out more about Direct Payments please see our Direct Payment page.
You may also need additional support for the person you care for in your/their own home to allow you to take part in activities to help you in your caring role. These activities may include something you wish to pursue that you are unable to as the person you care for cannot be left alone.
We can provide 25 hours personalised care support with a registered home care provider identified by Telford & Wrekin Council. You can use these 25 hours flexibly to ensure you get the most out of these hours.
Last updated: 20/05/2022 09:56
Libraries on Facebook
Libraries on Twitter