Adult social services support

Assessing your needs

 If the duty care manager thinks that social services may be able to help you he/she will take some details of the problems you are facing. A care manager will then contact you and your carer to assess your needs and agree with you the best way to help. In order to fully assess your needs the care manager may need, with your agreement, to work closely with agencies such as health service providers and voluntary organisations.

You may have to wait for an assessment. We give priority to those who are most at risk. We will contact you within 48 hours and we aim to complete an assessment within 4 weeks.

We will respond to requests for assistance according to priority of need. We aim to begin a comprehensive assessment of your needs within the following timescales:

  • Priority 1 Critical Needs - within 48 hours from the date of the referral
  • Priority 2 Substantial Needs - within 4 weeks

 The details of the assessment and what help will be offered will be written down in a 'care plan' and a copy given to you. The care manager will then arrange for any services that have been agreed. These may include occupational therapy, transport to some social services - related appointments, support in the home, meals at home, day care and residential or nursing home care where necessary.

For new service users who are assessed as needing care, we aim to ensure that your services will start within six weeks of first contacting us. Your care manager will tell you when your care plan will be reviewed. If your needs change before a review is due, please contact your care manager.

When we assess your need for help we will take into account issues of cultural and religious identity, including language and dietary needs, to ensure that we recognise and respect the cultural diversity of our local communities.

Your carer will be offered an assessment of their own needs, if they wish.

If you don't qualify for help, we will write to you to explain why.

Further information 

For  more information on how to arrange your own help please download a copy of Arranging your own help at home 

Further information is available in the Social care institute for excellence (SCIE) Fair Access to Care Services leaflet (FACS). An easy read version of Fair Access to Care Services (FACS) is also available for people with learning disabilities