Outcome Based Assessment

An outcome based assessment is a discussion between you and a social worker to identify your eligible needs and work out if you can get services from adult social care.

What happens at an assessment? 

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

A social worker will ask you about:

• Your independence
• What difficulties you are facing
• Your personal and domestic routines
• Your involvement with family, friends and the community
• What help and support you already have
• What help you think you may need.

You can ask someone you trust, such as a friend or family member, to take part in the assessment alongside you.

How long will I have to wait for an assessment? 

If your situation is very urgent and you are in a crisis or at serious risk of harm please highlight this when you contact us and a social worker will aim to see you as quickly as possible.

In any other circumstances, assessments will be arranged at a mutually convenient time.

What happens after an assessment? 

After you have had an assessment the council will tell you if you can receive council funded support. This is termed eligibility.

Eligibility

Because a lot of people ask for our help, the Council has to make sure that it provides services to meet the needs of people in the county borough in the most effective, fair and efficient manner. 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).

When looking at your needs, we consider how much risk there is to your independence. We need to make sure that those people who are at most risk have their needs met first. In other words they have the highest priority. Once you have had an assessment, we compare your needs with our eligibility criteria, and decide on your priority. There are four levels as follows:

Eligibility Criteria for Adults

The first condition relates to the adult’s circumstances and is met if the need arises from the circumstances which are specified in regulations:

• physical or mental ill-health;
• age;
• disability;
• dependence on alcohol or drugs; or other similar circumstances

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.

The third condition is met if the need is such that the adult is not able to meet that need alone, with the care and support of others who are able or willing to provide that care and support; or with the assistance of services in the community.

The fourth condition is met if the adult is unlikely to achieve one or more of their personal outcomes unless the local authority provides or arranges care and support to meet their needs in accordance with a care and support plan or it enables the need to be met by making direct payments.

I am eligible for council funded support

If you are eligible, the council will tell you how much money you are likely to need to pay for your services. The council can arrange these services for you or may want to receive money as a direct payment, which gives you more choice and flexibility around the support you need.

With the help of someone you trust, you will plan a package of support. This is called a care and support plan. This is where you outline what goals you want to achieve and how you plan to achieve them.

I am not eligible for council funded support

If you are not eligible, adult 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 worker that is registered and inspected by the Care and Social Services Inspectorate Wales (CSSIW).

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

Will I have to pay for my social care services?

Once you have created a support plan and had this approved by the council, you will also need to complete a financial assessment to see how much, if anything, you need to contribute towards your personal budget.

We will work out the amount you need to contribute by looking at:

• Your income and savings
• Whether you have a disability
• Your marital status
• Whether you are a carer

Who to contact

To request an assessment, please contact the Neath Port Talbot’s Adult’s and Children’s Single Point of Contact Team (SPOC)

If you are in hospital, you should ask to speak to someone from the hospital social work team.