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Carers Assessment

Powys Adult Carers Information

Carers Assessment

What is a Carer's Assessment?

Social Services offer an assessment to any Carer (or someone who is planning to care for someone) where it appears that the Carer may have need for support.

The assessment looks at:

- The extent to which the Carer is able and willing to provide the care and to continue to provide the care

- The outcomes the Carer wishes to achieve

Carers are involved in this process

The social worker will pay attention to whether you wish to work / participate in education, training, or leisure activities. It is important that Carers and the people they care for are an equal partner in their relationship with professionals.

A local authority may combine a person’s needs assessment with the needs assessment of his or her Carer if it considers it would be beneficial to do so. However, the local authority may only do so if valid consent is given.

Whether you can access support depends upon whether

- The need is because of your caring role

- You cannot meet that need by yourself, by others or by local services

- It affects your well-being

Well-being is about more than just being healthy, it can also include:

• being safe

• having somewhere suitable to live

• being involved in decisions that impact your life

• having friends

• being part of good, strong communities

• having every chance to do well in education

• feeling good about your life

• for adults – being able to work

• for children – being able to grow up happily and successfully, and being well-looked after

After the assessment, you may have a care or support plan, describing the help you will get as a Carer.

To prepare for an assessment, you may want to think about:

- The kind of support and help the person you care for needs

- What you would like to happen and what you would like to do

- The things you do for them

- How much time you spend caring

- Whether anyone else supports you

They will also look at whether you need information or training, and consider the impact caring has on your work life and leisure as well as your health and well-being. Before the assessment, have a think about the sort of support that would help you.

You can ask for the assessment to be carried out confidentially, at a convenient time, without the person you care for being there. You can have someone else there to support you, such as a Credu Outreach Worker, a friend or another Carer. Afterwards, you'll be given a copy of your assessment and advice on the information, support and services that could help you. This fact sheet from Carers Wales gives you lots more information about Carers Assessments, your legal rights and how you can prepare:

https://socialcare.wales/cms_assets/hub-downloads/Factsheet_A_Guide_to_Getting_an_Assessment_in_Wales_from_April_2016.pdf

Transition from Hospital to Home

We can go to hospital in many different situations. These can be planned or in an emergency. On leaving hospital you may be provided with a care plan if you or the person you care for requires ongoing support. Sometimes when you leave hospital you may be contacted by the council’s Reablement (capital R) team. The Reablement team will include an Occupational Therapist, Physiotherapist, and trained support workers. Once you've been referred, they will contact you to make an appointment for someone from the team to visit you and do an assessment.

The assessment can include family members if you wish, and will set out exactly what you

want to be able to do and how the team can help you. They will usually work with you for

between two to six weeks. Before they finish, they will plan any further help you need and

make sure it's set up.

Make the first step to get involved with Credu in your area

- we will welcome you with open arms

- we are like a family

Find Out More

A Guide for Unpaid Carers

Care Homes

How do I get help?

It is important that you choose a care home that meets the needs of the person you look after. They are entitled to an assessment to find out exactly what their needs are and whether their care is going

to be State funded or paid for privately. Even if you will be paying privately it is useful to have an assessment of your needs if there is a chance that you might need to seek funding from the council

in the future.

To ask for an assessment, check eligibility and discuss costs contact ASSIST on 0345 602 7050

The Age Cymru factsheet, ‘Finding care home accommodation in Wales’, is a detailed resource

containing information on the following:

- Making a decision about going into a home

- A range of questions to ask and issues to consider when choosing a home

- Financial considerations when choosing a care home

- Problems and complaints

Age Cymru produces a number of other factsheets on care homes that may be useful to look at. These include:

- Paying for a permanent care home placement in Wales

- Treatment of property in the means test for permanent care home provision in Wales

- Local authority assessment for community care services in Wales

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Adult Carers Rights

The Equalities Act 2010 means you are protected against discrimination in the workplace for looking after someone who is old or has a disability. For more info, the Carers Wales website and ACAS are worth checking out.

Since 2016 in Wales, you have the same rights as people who are cared for.

The Local Authority commission Credu to provide information and support to Carers in Powys. Please do get in touch - you will get a warm welcome: carers@credu.cymru/ 01597 823800/ Credu Carers on Facebook.

Your rights as an Adult Carer:

The right to request flexible working and time off in emergencies
The right to parental leave (after 12 months of employment)
The right to information and support
The right to an assessment if your needs cannot be met by information and advice
The right to have your voice hear and have control over decisions about your support
The right to Carers’ Allowance if you meet the conditions

Details:

Your right to an assessment is not affected by how much money you have, but you may be asked to contribute to the cost of your support. You can find some great info on this through Carers UK.

For all Adult Carers, you should be involved in all decisions about your support. You can choose to have a friend or family member by your side to help you.

Credu can help you look into benefits and link you with benefits advisors or Citizens' Advice, or you can go directly to them.

Conditions for Carers Allowance:

You look after someone who gets a qualifying disability benefit
You look after that person for at least 35 hours a week
You are aged 16 or over and not in full-time education
You don't earn over £128 a week (after deductions)

Other useful sources of information and support:

Dewis Advocacy Service - Website / 01597 821333
Carers Wales - Website / 0808 808 7777 Mon - Fri, 9am - 6pm / advice@carersuk.org
Age Cymru Powys - Website / 01597 825908 / enquiries@acpowys.org.uk
Citizens Advice Powys - Website / 0345 601 8421
Council Social Services - 0345 602 7050
If you're experiencing challenges to your rights, this resource has been used and recommended by Carers in Powys.
This website is extremely interesting for a deeper study of Carers' Rights in Wales.

Useful Numbers and Links

Please note that this is not an exhaustive list. For more information about useful organisations contact Credu or ASSIST or look on the Dewis Cymru website (see below)

Powys County Council ASSIST

Single point of contact for Powys County Council. Adult care and support

Email: assist@powys.gov.uk

Phone: 0345 602 7050

Address: Powys County Hall, Spa Road East, Llandrindod Wells, Powys, LD1 5LG

Website: www.powys.gov.uk

Powys People Direct

This could be for services and activities for children and families locally, or for advice and guidance on how to get extra support, or to raise an issue or concern around the welfare of a child or young person.

Phone: 01597 827666

Credu

Supporting and connecting Carers

Email: info@credu.cymru

Phone: 01597 823800

Address: Marlow, South Crescent, Llandrindod, LD1 5DH

Community Connectors

Helps people (aged 18 plus) and their families or Carers to access community-level services and activities

Phone: 01597 827666

Email: community.connectors@pavo.org.uk

Dewis Cymru

Directory of local and national organisations

Website: www.dewis.wales

Age Cymru Powys

Advice and support for older people

Phone: 01597 825908

Email: enquiries@acpowys.org.uk

Alzheimer’s Society

Support, information, research

National dementia helpline: 0300 222 11 22

Citizens Advice Powys

Advice and information

Phone: 0345 601 8421

Dementia Matters in Powys

Phone: 01597 822477

Email: info@dmip.org.uk

DEWIS CIL

Advocacy for people over 18 in receipt of or who may be eligible for social care services

Phone: 01597 821333

Address: Dewis CIL Powys Oce, Centre CELF, Tremont Road, Llandrindod Wells, LD1 5EB

Powys integrated Autism Service

Phone: 01874 712607

Website: powys.gov.uk/ASD

Stroke Association – Powys

Community Integration Service

Phone: 01745 508524

Website: stroke.org

Care and repair in Powys

Provides expertise, advice and practical support to older people or people with disabilities who need to undertake repairs, renovations or adaptations to their home.

Phone: 01686 620760

Cartrefi Cymru

Supports people with learning disabilities in Wales

Website: http://cartrefi.org/en

MIND

For people age 16 plus – improving mental well-being

Mid and North Powys

Email: Admin@midpowysmind.org.uk

Office phone: 01597 824411

Website: https://mnpmind.org.uk/

Brecon and District MIND

Tel: 01874 611529