Carers Information Pack - West Sussex County Council Adults’ and Children's services

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WSCC Adults’ and Children’s Services are responsible for organising and providing a wide range of services, with the emphasis on supporting people in their own homes, and on supporting their carers.  The services include:

• Advice and support from social workers and occupational therapists on all aspects of physical disability or physical frailty, dementia or acquired brain injury

• Day care

• Help with personal aids and equipment for the home and adaptations to your home

• Home care

• Short Breaks for carers

• Residential and nursing home care (that is not self funded) in conjunction with the independent sector

 WSCC must assess the needs of the person being cared for before they can provide any services except in urgent situations.  You can contact them direct, or referrals can come from GPs, District Nurse or a relative.

County Hall - The Grange, Tower Street, Chichester PO19 1QT.  Tel: 01243 777100
Out of hours service - Tel: 01903 694422

www.westsussex.gov.uk

•  Adur Office - Glebelands, Middle Road, Shoreham by Sea, 01273 268800

• Horsham Office – County Hall North, Chart Way, Horsham, 01243 642555 

• Littlehampton Office - 44 High Street, Littlehampton , 01903 738900

• Worthing Office - Centenary House, Durrington Lane, Worthing, 01903 839100

ASSESSMENTS  Assessments are conducted in order to determine a person’s need, and to decide what services can be provided.  When you contact the Help Desk, you will be asked to assess your needs, with assistance if necessary, to find out if you meet the eligibility criteria.  These are used to decide who is most in need so it is important that when you first contact the Help Desk you do not minimise any difficulties you are experiencing, or feel embarrassed to describe your situation fully.   In order to make their decision about the services they provide, the Help Desk will probably only have the information that you give them about yourself and the person you care for.  After the initial assessment further information may be needed to look at your requirements in more detail.  This will be completed with a member of staff, and again, it is important to describe your difficulties as fully as possible. 

 The assessment of the person you care for will often be very important to you, as the services they receive may affect how well you cope.   The person you care for may want to involve you in their own assessment, and this can be helpful, particularly if they find it difficult to express their needs.  There is a charge for most services provided by Adults’ Services.  Where charges apply, a Financial Assessment will also be carried out.  Finally it is important to remember that if your situation or that of the person you care for becomes more difficult, then you should ask for a Reassessment of both your needs, so that WSCC can look again at the services they are able to provide.  WSCC publish several leaflets on Assessments - contact CSS, Worthing & District or the Help Desk for copies.

 CARERS ASSESSMENTS You are entitled to ask for a Carers Assessment in your own right, if you are providing ‘regular and substantial care’.  If the person you are caring for is refusing to have an assessment, you can still ask for a Carers Assessment on its own.  It will at least give you the opportunity for a confidential talk.  A Carers Assessment is for two purposes.  Firstly, it takes into account your needs when WSCC decide what services to provide for the person you care for.  So, for example, a Carer’s Assessment could highlight your need for a regular break from caring, and therefore result in respite provision for the cared-for person.  Or a Carers Assessment could show your difficulties with helping the cared-for person have a bath, and result in bathing aids being provided.  The second purpose of a Carers Assessment is to determine your own need for services.  

 CARERS SERVICES West Sussex County Council has a policy to enable carers to arrange and purchase the services they need to support them in their caring role and maintain their own health.  This will mean that subject to a Carers Assessment, carers may be able to receive a payment from the County Council and pay for the service themselves; alternatively the service could be arranged for them.  The intention is to make services that support carers more flexible and give carers a greater say in the type of help that they require.   Under this policy carers can receive a one – off discretionary payment towards a specific service in a year.  This could be towards a particular item or time limited service.   Following consultation with carers, specific examples of carer services have been suggested including; gardening blitzes, help with tasks around the home, funding towards leisure/adult education classes, assistance with travel, complementary therapies or help towards domestic equipment.  Particular areas where carer services would be considered as a priority:

• Where the cared for person refuses a community care assessment and /or services

•  Where a carer cannot access short breaks / respite services

• Where there is real risk to the sustainability of the caring role or to the carer’s general health

 The County Council is funding this initiative from the Carers Special Grant to pilot this policy and support the implementation of the Carers (Equal Opportunities) Act 2004.  Under the policy carers will not be charged for carer services and so no financial assessment is required.  An important exception is that a Direct Payment cannot be given under this policy to a carer to pay for a service provided to the cared for person.  For more information, contact your Help Desk.

CHILD DISABILITY TEAMS  (NORTH and SOUTH) Teams set up by West Sussex County Council (Children and Young People’s Services) to meet the needs of severely disabled children and their families.  Includes a sitting service for children with disabilities in their own home, providing a break for parents and carers. Contact the single Children's Access Point on 01403 229900.

 DAY CARE SERVICES See the entry in the ‘Taking a Break’ section.

 HOME CARE This is care provided in a person’s home, usually by a Home Care Assistant, following an assessment of the cared-for person’s needs.  Care is targeted at people with more complex needs, and there is a charge for home care and day care services based on the financial position of the person receiving the services.   Leaflets explaining the charges are available from your local Help Desk, ICIS or CSS, Worthing & District, as are details of private agencies providing private home care services. 

 HOSPITAL DISCHARGE SCHEME This offers intensive Home Care support for a short time after someone is discharged from hospital, thus allowing the patient and carer time to assess how they are coping. This service is arranged through the hospital social worker prior to discharge.

 HOSPITAL SOCIAL WORKERS There are agreed procedures between hospitals and WSCC.  These make sure that anyone who may require support services or equipment on leaving hospital is entitled to have their needs assessed and an appropriate care package arranged before being discharged.  Carers should be involved in this process.  Social workers based at hospitals can offer assistance with non-medical problems or queries, and can advise the patient and carer on how to obtain more help in the home.  If you are unsure about any aspect of how you will cope when the person being cared for comes home, do ask to see the hospital social worker.

 OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY Occupational Therapists provide assessment and advice on all aspects of managing a disability.  They can arrange to visit you at home, talk through and assess what is needed and arrange, following an assessment, for the provision of any necessary equipment for the home.  An occupational therapist will also advise on adaptations to the home and sources of funding. 

 SAFEGUARDING ADULTS If you suspect an adult is being abused and think the danger is immediate ring the police on 999.  If it is less urgent, please contact your local office during office hours (9am-5pm). Tell them it is an adult protection referral and ask to speak to the Adults Help Desk. At all other times, including nights, weekends and bank holidays, contact Sussex Police, who will either act themselves or contact WSCC for you.  Alternatively contact WSCC 'out of hours' service on 01903 694422.

 SELF DIRECTED SUPPORT West Sussex County Council is committed to increasing independence and choice for people who are assessed as needing support.  Self Directed Support is the name given to a variety of ways in which people can control their own funding for social care and can choose their own support e.g. Personal Budgets where a sum is allocated to meet a person’s support needs and they can spend it in the way that best meets those needs.  This could include a Direct Payment to pay for the employment of a Personal Assistant or to buy care from an agency.  Some people choose to spend the money on domestic support so that their carer can concentrate on personal care.  Others prefer their social worker to make arrangements for them.  Contact your locality office for information and to request an assessment. 

This page was last updated 18/04/2012