Carers' assessments
Commonly asked questions
- Answer:
A Carer's Assessment is designed to look specifically at you and your needs as a carer. You can choose to be assessed on your own or jointly with the person that you care for. An adult carer's assessment can take place over the telephone or face to face (for example in your own home or in another location such as a cafe) if you prefer.
For a young carer's assessment, please see the Young Carers page.
It will look at the different ways in which caring affects your life and what support you might need to continue in that role. We will consider whether your needs are eligible under the Care Act, and if they are, you will be offered a support plan. This could include agreed actions such as referrals to other services like Occupational Therapy for information about equipment that might help you in your caring role, access to benefits advice and / or support from our Staffordshire Together for Carers service. We also have a duty to provide personalised information and advice to meet any needs which are not eligible for funded support.
The Care Act 2014 gives more emphasis on the needs of carers. This law means that more carers will be able to have a carers assessment.
- Answer:
The Care Act relates mostly to adult carers, people over 18, who are caring for another adult. This is because young carers and adults who care for disabled children can be assessed and supported under children’s law.
However, the act means that whole family circumstances will be looked at when assessing the needs of an adult for care. This means, for example, making sure that the position of a young carer will not be overlooked. The Children and Families Act gives young carers similar rights to an assessment as other carers under the Care Act.
An adult caring for a disabled child can get support through children’s services.
- Answer:
Carers of all ages can contact the County Council for a Carer's Assessment. Young Carers have a dedicated telephone number to speak directly with a Young Carer's Assessor. Professionals identifying a young carer must complete the new online professional referral form using the link below.
Online referrals:
Telephone referrals:
If the person you are looking after receives, or may need, support from social care, then you can ask to have a joint assessment of your needs.
- Answer:
The Care Act introduced the national eligibility threshold for carers where they can be eligible for support in their own right. In considering whether a carer has eligible needs, local authorities must consider whether:
- the needs arise as a consequence of providing necessary care for an adult
- the carers are providing care which is likely to have a negative impact upon their physical or emotional wellbeing and prevent them achieving the outcomes listed in the Care Act
- as a result, is there, or is there likely to be, a significant impact on the carers' wellbeing.
A carer’s needs are only eligible for support where they meet all three of these conditions. However, carers do not need to meet this eligibility criteria to access the Staffordshire Together for Carers Service.
- Answer:
- It is our duty to carry out an assessment of your needs, at your request, free of charge. As part of this assessment we will assess your eligibility for support. The Staffordshire Together for Carers Service delivers support to Carers free of charge and can be contacted directly without an assessment.
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