Assessment and care planning for unpaid carers, child's carers and child carers
- WSCC Publication
- Care Quality Commission Self - Assessment Report
- Theme 1: Working with people
- Assessment and care planning for unpaid carers, child's carers and child carers
Assessment and care planning for unpaid carers, child's carers and child carers
A newly recommissioned information, advice, assessment and support service for carers commenced in April 2024 for an initial five-year term. The new service presents a greater level of focus on outcomes and prevention with the council working in a strategic partnership with the contracted provider, Carers Support West Sussex (CSWS), to best support the county’s carers through innovation and recognised best practice. CSWS deliver all carers assessments on behalf of the Council including the administration of Direct Payments as well as delivering proactive and responsive programmes, including health and wellbeing grants to best meet the needs of carers who are not eligible and to support them in their caring role. In the first quarter of 2024/25, 43 eligible carers received a Direct Payment and 223 carers were allocated a carer health and wellbeing grant. CSWS holds the carers’ register for the Council with over 31,000 carers actively registered. A letter from the Minister of State in October 2023 recognised the in-reach hospital service delivered by CSWS as a model of good practice, and it is our ambition to build on this positive work through a focus on achieving outcomes and developing innovative and responsive practices. An example of innovation and effective partnership working involving carers payments and cost of living was recently published in the ADASS Support Carers Hub - Carers and Financial Hardship - ADASS. As our trusted partner, CSWS, work closely with the council through renewed contract management and governance to ensure compliance, quality of practice and impact of the service.
![Infographic of demographic breakdown of carers supported in West Sussex](/media/ae0okppn/carer-demographics-1.png?mode=max&width=549&height=363)
The council’s Carers Strategy places carers and caring at the heart of our strategic ambition. It is an all-age strategy that includes our youngest carers. During carer consultations in respect of the strategy, the need for better carer training for the workforce was identified as a priority. Since then, a new Young Carer Awareness Course has been produced and is on our Learning and Development Gateway which is available both internally and to outside organisations.
We have a very good in-house service for young carers which has a strong focus on family work, whilst also committing to provide positive experiences for young carers themselves. This is enabled by volunteers and close working with CSWS. In respect of transition, as young carers reach adulthood, there is a clear pathway and specific tailored service for young adult carers (18-25 years) within our carer support offer. West Sussex have recently co-produced an online resource that supports mental health and wellbeing for young carers up to 25 years.
It is proposed to use DHSC Accelerating Reform Fund monies to provide a new overarching programme of digital / technology-enabled services which addresses local strategic priorities for carers in each local authority area across Sussex. This will be done through two projects delivered across the footprint of the Sussex ICS and will consist of the following:
- Develop a digital carers pathway from identification to support: Digitised Carers Services; E-Carers Cards provide identification, “passports”, access to discounts and link to contingency plans with links into Carers Centre websites, localised offers and potential links with the NHS Shared Care Record, on-line carer self-assessment tools and automated solutions for keeping in touch with other carers over the course of their caring journey.
- Develop the use of mainstream technology for carers including building on the current East Sussex County Council “Alexa” pilot with clients and CSWS Carer Equipment Service. As mainstream' technology is now more affordable and more present in people’s homes than ever before, there is a need to explore its scope for supporting carers and the independence of the people they care for.
![Infographic showing breakdown of cared for condition](/media/bopbtoqk/cared-for-condition.png?mode=max&width=585&height=288)
Help for people to meet their non-eligible care and support needs
If a social care assessment determines that an individual has non-eligible needs, they are provided with person-centred, tailored information and preventative advice on how they can meet their needs. This includes information about other care providers, wellbeing services, equipment, community activities and advice on how to pay for long-term care. These are available via a broad range of channels such as the Prevention Assessment Team, commissioned information and advice services, our West Sussex Connect to Support website helping people to live independently, our widely distributed annual Care Guide, and an adult social care digital directory of early support services run by our Library Service, which staff and relevant stakeholders can access to signpost people to the most appropriate community-based resources.
Social Support Services
We have a number of contracts with voluntary sector organisations to support older people to maintain their health, wellbeing and independence.
Tackling Social Isolation (including befriending)
Our Tackling Isolation Services are delivered by a partnership of organisations, led by AGE UK West Sussex Brighton & Hove, in partnership with MIND, Carers Support, Royal Voluntary Service, Guild Care and Community Transport. It is an innovative model that includes some centre-based activities but also reaches out into communities to ensure that there is support and activity for our more rurally isolated individuals and communities. Programmes are co-produced with service users and offer a wide range of social, cultural, physical and health & wellbeing opportunities. These services keep people connected and give them things to look forward to and participate in.
Hospital Discharge Support
We have two Hospital Discharge support services, Take Home and Settle and Support at Home After Hospital, including support for carers. These services operate flexibly across acute and community hospitals, seven days a week. Last year 1508 older people were supported to return home safely, be risk assessed and have practical support to re-settle at home. 1461 also received further visits for up to 6 weeks, to help them regain their confidence and independence.
Information, Advice and Guidance
Carewise care funding advice scheme - around 60% of people living in residential care can fund the costs themselves from investments, benefits, pensions and other income. We work with financial experts in planning for later life, Age UK West Sussex, Brighton and Hove, and West Sussex Partners in Care (a representative body for independent providers of care) to provide trustworthy specialist information and advice about choosing and paying for long-term care.
Countywide information and advice service 65+ Age UK West Sussex Brighton and Hove offers residents, their families, carers, and representatives, an easy to access, comprehensive, independent service to address issues affecting people in later life, including a Money Advice Service which is part of the County Council’s Carewise care funding advice scheme.
In 2023/24 the number of clients was 2747, the number of client issue was 6633, the number of advice cases was 357,the number of benefit enquiries was 3506 and the number of Community Care enquiries was 699.
Countywide information and advice service provided by Citizens Advice West Sussex working with Arun and Chichester Citizens Advice is funded by the County Council in partnership with all seven district and boroughs councils. The ‘Community Advice and Support Service’ provides general advice, with a key focus on working-age adults and families.
In 2023/24 the number of clients was 58,407, the number of client issues was 158,800, the number of advice cases was 42,096 and a total income for clients of £16,526,530.
Eligibility decisions for care and support
We make sure that those most in need receive the highest level of support and that everyone is treated fairly, using national guidelines to help us understand whether someone has eligible social care needs. This applies to people needing social care support and to family and friend carers.
The guidelines are called ‘eligibility criteria’ and are set out in the Care and Support (Eligibility Criteria) Regulations 2015.
If a person is identified as eligible, we work with the customer to identify their strengths and capabilities. We look at what they want to achieve and identify any support that may be available from family and friend networks or in the local community, before working out how much money may be available for support.
We also explain there may be a need to make a financial contribution towards the support a person needs. Once a provisional amount of money has been agreed, we help plan their support.
In this section
- Working with people
- Timeline of assessments, care planning and reviews
- Assessment and care planning for unpaid carers, child's carers and child carers
- Financial assessment and independent advocacy
- Supporting people to live healthier lives
- Access to equipment and home adaptations
- Provision of accessible information and advice
- Direct Payments
- Equity in experiences and outcomes