Your social care assessment

A professional will visit you, and will discuss with you how you manage your day to day life. It is important that we get a full picture of your situation, so the professional might ask for permission to talk to other people who know you, such as your doctor. If you have a relative or friend who you care for, we will discuss the support that you provide and include these as part of the assessment. You can choose to have your assessment in English or Welsh.

We can also arrange for an interpreter if you speak another language, or if you communicate in sign language.

To help us decide who should receive our services we use guidelines called Eligibility Criteria (which are based on a framework laid down by the Welsh Assembly Government).

During an assessment you will have the opportunity to discuss your support needs and explore ways in which these needs might be met.

The person who visits will ask you about:

• your independence
• what difficulties you are facing
• what your strengths and skills are
• what support networks you have
• what resources in the community you can access

When your needs have been assessed, we will discuss whether or not you are eligible for services from Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council.

When looking at your needs, we consider how much risk there is to your independence. The need of a carer meets the eligibility criteria if:

1. The need arises as a result of providing care for either:

• an adult who has needs
• a disabled child

2. The second condition is met if the need relates to one or more outcomes specified in the regulations:

• ability to carry out self-care or domestic routines;
• ability to communicate
• protection from abuse or neglect
• involvement in work
• education, learning or in leisure activities
• maintenance or development of family or other significant personal relationships
• development and maintenance of social relationships and involvement in the community; or
• fulfilment of caring responsibilities for a child

3. The third condition is met if the carer cannot meet the needs either:

• alone
• with the support of others who are willing to provide that support
• with the assistance of services in the community to which the carer has access

4. The fourth condition is met if the carer is unlikely to achieve one or more of their personal outcomes unless:

• the local authority provides or arranges support to the carer to meet the carer’s need
• the local authority provides or arranges care and support to the person for whom the carer provides care, in order to meet the carer’s need; or
• the local authority enables the need to be met by making direct payments

Having an assessment does not always mean that we go on to provide a service for you. There may be other ways to achieve the outcomes you need. For example this could be by giving you the right information and advice referring you to a preventative service provided by another organisation, helping you to find ways to meet your own needs, perhaps with the assistance of family or friends.

Some people need short-term support to enable them to return to independent living after an illness or period of instability. 

We work in partnership with health service colleagues to provide an integrated service that will support you to become more independent, either alone or with the support of others, and to become more involved with your local community.

The following services have a fixed charge:

• Blue Parking Badges – allow parking on some yellow lines and in reserved spaces for disabled drivers or passengers
• Community Alarm link – an emergency telephone link, providing peace of mind and someone to contact if you are in trouble (may be available free to Homecare users)

The following services have a charge which depends on you income and savings. Your designated professional can give you information on how we work this out:-

• Homecare – practical and personal care, such as washing addressing
• Adaptations to your home – to make it easier to live in, such as handrails, ramps or stair lifts
• Short term care – such as breaks of a week or two in a residential or nursing home
• Temporary care – stays in a residential or nursing home while there is a problem at home, such as building works or a carer being ill
• Residential care – long term care in a residential or nursing home
• Direct Payments - Direct Payments are cash payments given to you by the Council to arrange and pay for your own care and support instead of the Council arranging services for you.

If you are not eligible, social care can still help you by providing information and directing you to useful organisations in the local area. These could be private or voluntary and may be able to provide some free services.

Many people who prefer to arrange their own services choose to employ a care worker directly through a home care agency. If you feel this kind of support would help you, remember to take care to choose a provider that is registered and inspected by the Care Inspectorate Wales.

There is a wide range of support in the community that can help you live a healthy, fulfilling and independent life.

If you are eligible to receive services you will have a dedicated professional who will discuss a range of support with you, and will tell you about any charges that there are for these. They will try hard to ensure that your needs are met in a way that suits you. The professional will agree with you a Care and Support Plan, which sets out how your eligible needs are going to be met, and you will be given a copy to keep.

It will include information about:

• what your needs are
• which services you will be getting, and how it is intended that these will meet your needs and achieve the things that matter to you
• the name of the person who is responsible for co-ordinating your care
• a date for a review of your needs

Your dedicated professional will also explain that you can, if you wish, receive a Direct Payment so that you can arrange your own services, instead of getting services through the Council.

If you are not satisfied with the service you have received, the first step is to contact the person who did your assessment or their team manager. You need to give the reasons why you disagree with the Council’s decision. They will try to assist you to find a satisfactory outcome to your case.

You can find more information about this process, and suggestions for getting help with your appeal in the full Eligibility Criteria.