Information about Carers Assessments
Leaflet C1									

•	Do you look after a friend or family member?

•	Do they need support as a result of age, frailty, physical, sensory, emotional or learning disability, or have mental health needs, or misuse drugs or alcohol?

If so, you may be their carer and the information in this leaflet is likely to be helpful to you.

Who is a carer?

A carer can be any age and could include someone under 18 (often known as a young carer), or someone who is the parent of a disabled child or young person. 

Many people are carers, but find it difficult to see themselves in this role, and do not always wish to be identified as a carer, as for them the caring relationship is simply part of normal everyday life as a son, daughter, husband, wife, parent etc. As a result, they often don’t realise that there is support available for them as well as the person they care for. 

What is an assessment?

An assessment is carried out to decide what someone's needs are and what support Adult Social Care might be able to provide. This is usually carried out through a Care and Support Needs Assessment of the person you care for. Carers should be involved in the assessment process and should also be offered an assessment of their needs as a carer.

Please don’t be put off by the word “assessment”. It is not about judging you as a carer. 
It is about making sure that your views about both your own needs and the needs of the person you care for are listened to. This is to ensure that both of you receive the most appropriate type of support available.

It is important for us to know the effect that caring has on you, including:
•	whether your physical or mental health is deteriorating, or is at risk of deteriorating 
•	whether you are unable to achieve any of the outcomes specified  
•	and whether, as a consequence, there is, or is likely to be, a significant impact on your wellbeing 

‘Unable to achieve’ includes: 
•	unable to achieve the outcome without assistance
•	able to achieve the outcome without assistance but doing so causes you significant pain, distress or anxiety
•	able to achieve the outcome without assistance but doing so is likely to endanger your health or safety or that of any adults or children for whom you provide care

What will happen during my Carer’s Assessment?

Your carer’s assessment will look at the care you provide, whether you are willing and able to continue to provide this care and its effect on your health and wellbeing and the outcomes you wish to achieve. 

•	All carers identified through the assessment of the person they care for will be offered a Carer’s Assessment. This will help them to identify the effect that caring is having on them and whether they need advice and information only, or a more detailed assessment of their needs and additional support in their caring role. 

•	You are entitled to a carer’s assessment ‘on appearance of need’, even if the person you care for refuses an assessment or the provision of support.

•	The carer’s assessment documentation is designed to enable you to complete it yourself if you would like to, prior to discussion with a member of staff from Adult Social Care. This can be a different member of staff to the one who completed the assessment of the person you care for, if you would prefer this. 

•	In carrying out your assessment, the Council must always consider what else might assist you in meeting the outcomes that you want to achieve. In order to do this, we will look at your own strengths and capabilities and what support might be available to you from both your wider support network and the wider support network of the community. 

What will happen after my Carer’s Assessment?

Depending on the needs identified through your assessment, you may be offered information and advice, signposting to other sources of support such as the Carers Support Service (see pages 4 and 5 for more details), and/or support through the Council.  

Support through the Council for carers with eligible needs may include: 

•	the possibility of increased support for the person you care for (if eligible), either to increase their independence, or to take the pressure off you, or to enable you to take a break at times and in ways to suit you and the person you care for.

•	the person you care for may also be provided with equipment to enable them to carry out activities such as bathing or toileting more easily, or may receive housing adaptations to enable them to continue to live at home more easily. 

•	the opportunity for you to receive advice on how to care for the person you care for e.g. moving and handling; how to respond to mental health needs, or to behaviours you may find difficult to manage.

•	the possibility, in some instances, of support in your own right (Carers Services). The type of support that can be provided will depend on your particular needs. Examples may include:

•	domestic tasks, such as housework and ironing
•	gardening
•	help to pay for recreational or other activities e.g. driving lessons, massages, fishing permits, computer courses
•	assistance with child care costs
•	other types of support as agreed with you 

Will I have to pay anything?

Most support identified as a result of a Carer’s Assessment will be delivered to the person you care for and they will be financially assessed to decide how much they are able to contribute to the cost of any support they receive. 

There is currently no charge for any support you receive in your own right as a carer, although the Council does have the right to financially assess you for this support.

What will happen to any information I give you?

Any information you give us will be treated in confidence. Sometimes, in order to keep people safe, information needs to be shared with other agencies. We will ask your permission before doing this, except in certain instances as specified in law.

We will keep any information we have about you up to date and accurate. To help us to do this we would appreciate it if you would contact Adult Social Care to inform us of any changes. For example, let us know when you move house or change doctors. You can ask to see the records we hold about you at any time. For further information about this, please contact the Complaints and Information Governance Team. Telephone: 01325 406777.

Where else can I go for support?

Darlington Carers Support 
Provides information, support and advice to carers. Through them you can make contact with other carers and receive information about other sources of help. The information available includes the following:

•	a general leaflet about the support that they can offer, including how to register as a carer
•	a number of carers groups and activities, including days out
•	access to funding to help you take a break from caring
•	access to the County Durham and Darlington Carers Card
•	access to the Carers Emergency Card 

Contact: St Teresa’s Hospice, 91 Woodland Road, Darlington, DL3 7UA. Tel: 0300 0301215 or visit the website: http://www.dccarers.org 

Carer Friendly Discount Card
The County Durham and Darlington Carer Friendly Discount Card gives all carers across County Durham and Darlington (including young carers and parent carers of disabled children) the opportunity to access discounts and concessions from a range of businesses, including days out, health and fitness, alternative therapies and items for the home. 

The card is available from Darlington Carers Support (0300 0301215) Family Action Young Carers Darlington on (01325) 794888.
Website: Carers Discount Card - Durham County Carers Support (dccarers.org) 

Carers Direct
A national information, advice and support service for carers, which includes a wide range of information. You can telephone them on 0300 123 1053. The service is available 7 days a week.

Carers UK Digital Resource for Carers
The Carers UK Digital Resource for Carers provides a range of products and support resources including the Jointly App, e-Learning modules, factsheets, interactive guides, personalised support and information. To create a new account, use the access code DGTL1931.

DAD Direct Payments Support Service
Provides information and advice about direct payments to enable you, or the person you care for, to employ and manage your own staff to meet personal care or other identified needs, or to arrange the assistance you need directly from your chosen provider.

Contact: Enterprise House, Valley Street North, Darlington, DL1 1GY. Tel: 01325 360524 or visit the website:
www.darlingtondisability.org 

Dementia Advisor/Dementia Support Worker Service  
The Alzheimer’s Society offers information, advice and 1:1 support to people with dementia and their carers. 
For more information, contact 01904 929444 or DarlingtonTeesValley@alzheimers.org.uk 

Family Action Young Carers Darlington  
Provides support to young carers under the age of 25
For new referrals, please contact Catherine Taylor or Philippa May – Youngcarersdarlington@family-action.org.uk (01325 794888)

Mobilise
Support for unpaid carers in Darlington (mobiliseonline.co.uk)
Provides access to a range of resources, including
•	An online network of people in similar situations, including regular online carers’ cuppas
•	Free support from a dedicated carers coach
•	Online support sessions with others who are also caring
•	Simple online tools to help at each stage of their caring journey
 
The Carents Room 
Help for adults caring for elderly parents - The Carents Room

Support in a Carer Emergency
Support in a carer emergency is available to all unpaid carers who care for an adult. To access support during office hours, ring Adult Social Care on 01325 406111. To access support out of office hours, ring the Emergency Duty Team on 01642 524552. A Carers Emergency Card can be obtained from Darlington Carers Support http://www.dccarers.org/

We Are With You Recovery and Wellbeing Service
Offers support for people to choose recovery as a way out of dependency on drugs and alcohol. The service includes a family support service. 
Tel: 01325 809810 or e-mail: darlington.info@wearewithyou.org.uk 

Durham Constabulary (Herbert Protocol) 
If you care for someone who is at risk of going missing, you can sign up for the Herbert Protocol, which will help the Police to help you if the person does go missing. 
To sign up, contact Durham Constabulary on 101 or via email: Herbertprotocol@durham.pnn.police.uk    

Job Centre Plus
Offers support to carers who would like to combine their caring role with paid employment
Telephone: 0845 604 3719

Carers Allowance

Carers Allowance is the main state benefit for carers. To qualify the carer must meet all the rules, which are quite complicated. These include the following. The carer:

•	must be aged 16 or over 
•	must be caring for at least 35 hours per week for someone who is in receipt of Attendance Allowance; Personal Independence Payment daily living component; the middle or highest care rate of Disability Living Allowance; Constant Attendance Allowance (at or above the normal maximum rate with an Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit): Constant Attendance Allowance at the basic (full day) rate with a War Disablement Pension; Armed Forces Independence Payment; Child Disability Payment – the middle or highest care rate; Adult Disability Payment – daily living component at the standard or enhanced rate
•	your income is less than £151 per week after tax, National Insurance and expenses. 
(if your earnings are sometimes more than £151 per week, you might still be eligible for Carer’s Allowance. Your average earnings may be calculated to work out if you’re eligible).
•	must not be receipt of certain other benefits  

If you think you may qualify, or would like more information, please contact Darlington Carers Support on 0300 0301215 or look for more detailed information at:
https://www.gov.uk/carers-allowance

Checklist for preparing for an assessment

About your caring role

•	Do you and the person you look after live in the same house or do they live in their own home? 

What sort of help do you provide?

•	For example, shopping, housework/cleaning, providing meals, emotional support, assistance with personal care
•	Do you have to help during the night?
•	Approximately how many hours a week do you provide care for someone? 

How does it affect you?

•	When was the last time you had a whole day to yourself?
•	Has your own health been affected as a result of caring for someone? 
•	Has your work been affected as a result of caring for someone?
•	Do you feel able to continue with your present level of care at present?
•	Do you feel you need help to continue to care?
•	Do you feel you need time out from your caring responsibilities?

Contact Details

Darlington Adult Social Care,
Town Hall, Feethams, Darlington, DL1 5QT
Tel: 01325 406111, Fax: 01325 406824, Minicom: 01325 468504 
More information about Carers Assessments and support available to carers can be found on the website: Darlington BC - Caring for someone 

Translations
This document will be made available on request in Braille, large print, audio, easy read, electronically and in other languages. Telephone 01325 406222 (option 7)

Date of Issue – 31/05/2024								Ref – C1