Having a care assessment
Carers provide substantial, unpaid support to someone who needs extra help to manage day to day life. They may not live in the same house, and they do not have to be related to the person they look after.
Most carers are happy to look after relations or friends, but sometimes they need extra support to continue in their caring role. Caring for someone covers lots of different things such as; helping with washing, dressing, or eating, or taking someone to regular appointments.
Cheshire West carer support service
Ourselves and the Cheshire Clinical Commissioning Group commission The Cheshire West Carer Support service, which is a joint service delivered by the Cheshire and Warrington Carers Trust. The service provides information, advice, support and services to carers across the borough, including:
- carers helpline (Monday to Friday 9am - 5pm)
- benefits advice, form filling and advocacy
- quarterly newsletter
- events for carers throughout the year; highlighting carers week and carers rights day
- regular luncheon clubs
- monthly support groups
- carer’s training programme
- carer awareness training for professionals
- essentials fund to pay for white goods, gardening or decorating
- personal budget to enable carers to take a break
- carers in crisis fund
- working carers project
- early identification of carers in primary care
Carer assessment
If you provide regular unpaid support to someone who could not manage without it, you have the right to have your needs assessed, even if the person you care for has refused support services or an assessment of their own needs.
This assessment, called a carers' assessment, gives you the chance to tell us what you need, and to find out what support might be available. The carers' assessment explores whether you have eligible needs in your own right.
We will assess whether you have needs as a carer and what those needs may be. This assessment will consider the impact of the caring role. It will also consider what difficulties you may be facing, how you manage them and the things that you want to achieve in your day-to-day life.
It must consider other important issues, such as whether you are able or willing to carry on caring, whether you work or want to work, and whether you want to study or do more socially.
If you have eligible needs, the assessor will discuss the options available to meet those needs. If your needs are not eligible, you will be provided with information and advice.
Contact us
To request assistance from Adult Social Care please complete the Carers Assessment portal form
For further information and advice about Adult Social Care please contact the Cheshire West Community Access Team:
- Telephone: 0300 123 7034