Assessing carers' needs

If you are a carer who provides regular and substantial care to another person (aged 18 or over) then you may be entitled to a carers assessment. This is an opportunity to discuss your needs with someone, as well as the needs of the person that you care for. We will look at the support you need to help you carry on caring and see if there is anything we can do to support you in your caring role.

A carers assessment is not a test of how well you care for someone, and it is not just available when you start to care, you can request one at any time.

You can have a carers assessment at the same time as the needs of the person you care for are assessed, or you can ask for a separate assessment and someone will arrange to see you without the person you care for on another occasion.

To find out more and to request a carers assessment please call 01752 668000.

What is a carer's assessment?

A carer's assessment will look with you at your own individual circumstances, how well you are coping with providing care and any support that you may need in order to carry on doing so. We will ask questions about:

• The help the person you care for needs
• The help you are giving at the moment
• Your own health
• Your other responsibilities
• Whether you need support in order to carry on with work commitments, education or leisure activities
• Whether you want to carry on caring

We will also discuss any other aspects of providing care that are relevant to you.

It may be that you are managing well, and do not need any services, but by having a carers assessment you are making sure that we know that you have taken on a caring role, we can give you advice about other places to go for support and about coming back to us if things change and your begin to find life more difficult.

If you are having problems continuing to care, we can work with you to make sure you have all the information and support that you need.