All forms of community care services e.g. personal care, domestic support, meals on wheels, etc. are all accessed through the social service departments of your local authority. They are available to adults with needs arising from physical, sensory, learning or cognitive disabilities or impairments, or from mental health difficulties.
Under the Carers and Disabled Childrens Act 2000 carer's own needs may be assessed, with the focus clearly placed on meeting their needs to sustain their role as a carer.
In order to access any service an eligibility assessment has to be made. This assessment will consider your ability to remain independent and the risk to that independence.
Your eligibility will be considered critical when:
- Life is or will be threatened
- Significant health problems have or will develop
- Serious abuse or neglect has occurred or will occur
- The inability to carry out vital personal care or domestic routines is threatened
- Vital family and/or social support systems and relationships cannot or will not be sustained
Your eligibility will be considered substantial when:
- Abuse or neglect has occurred or will occur
- The inability to carry out the majority of personal care or domestic routines is threatened
- The majority of family and/or social support systems and relationships cannot or will not be sustained.
Your eligibility will be considered moderate when:
- The ability to carry out several personal care or domestic routines is threatened
- Several family and/or social support systems and relationships cannot or will not be sustained.
Your eligibility will be considered low when:
- The ability to carry out one or two personal care or domestic routines is threatened
- One or two family and/or social support systems and relationships cannot or will not be sustained.
If eligibility to community care is established following an assessment, which is usually carried out in the home or at hospital then your designated social worker has the responsibility to develop a care plan. This is a statement that outlines the recommended care needed to ensure your needs are met.
The care may be provided direct from the local authority or, alternatively, they may purchase these services from a variety of contractors or agencies. Regardless of who is providing your care, the responsibility remains with the social services department.
Unfortunately some community care services are charged to the recipient. Each local area will have its own local Community Care Plan. Within this plan there will be a scale of charges for certain aspects of community care. These will vary from area to area so it is not possible to give specific examples. Not everyone will have to pay for care. The ability to pay for care will be means tested, if you are in need of care and do not have the means to pay for it then you will not be required to pay for it. Remember, any benefits you receive will form part of the means testing. There is often a minimum charge for community care, but again, this varies and will be dependent on your local authority.
