Social Care Assessment information

Why might it be of interest?
The way we live our lives becomes our normal but we may be making a lot of adjustments to accommodate the needs of our young person – and therefore how they live their life is likely to be different from their typical peers.

While the threshold for support from Adult Social Care (ASC) is very different from Children’s Services adults still have certain conditions to meet to be eligible and to have needs in specific daily living categories.

ASC will carry out an assessment of the young person, usually in person. The young person can be supported by a parent or carer. The outcome of the assessment is likely to be more positive for the young person if they, and potentially their parent/carer, have prepared for the assessment beforehand. Having information about the conditions and daily living activities will help with that preparation.

Further information may be helpful and we regularly refer to the hft guide to the care act. The who guide is informative but chapter 7 talks about the ASC assessment: https://www.hft.org.uk/our-services/family-carer-support-service/fcss-updates/guide-care-act-2014/

CONDITION 1:

The adult’s needs arise from or are related to a physical or mental

impairment or illness This includes conditions such as physical, mental, sensory, learning or cognitive disabilities or illnesses, brain injuries and substance misuse.

CONDITION 2:

As a result of the adult’s needs, the adult is unable to achieve 2 or more of

the outcomes set out in the regulations The Eligibility Regulations set out the following outcomes:

• Managing and maintaining nutrition – local authorities should consider whether the adult has access to food and drink to maintain nutrition, and that the adult is able to prepare and consume the food and drink.
• Maintaining personal hygiene – local authorities should, for example, consider the adult’s ability to wash themselves and launder their clothes.
• Managing toilet needs – local authorities should consider the adult’s ability to access and use a toilet and manage their toilet needs.
• Being appropriately clothed – local authorities should consider the adult’s ability to dress themselves and to be appropriately dressed, for instance in relation to the weather to maintain their health.
• Being able to make use of the home safely – local authorities should consider the adult’s ability to move around the home safely, which could for example include getting up steps, using kitchen facilities or accessing the bathroom. This should also include the immediate environment around the home such as access to the property, for example steps leading up to the home.
• Maintaining a habitable home environment – local authorities should consider whether the condition of the adult’s home is sufficiently clean and maintained to be safe.  A habitable home is safe and has essential amenities. An adult may require support to sustain their occupancy of the home and to maintain amenities, such as water, electricity and gas.
• Developing and maintaining family or other personal relationships – local

authorities should consider whether the adult is lonely or isolated, either because their needs prevent them from maintaining the personal relationships they have or because their needs prevent them from developing new relationships.

• Accessing and engaging in work, training, education or volunteering – local

authorities should consider whether the adult has an opportunity to apply themselves and contribute to society through work, training, education or volunteering, subject to their own wishes in this regard. This includes the physical access to any facility and support with the participation in the relevant activity.

• Making use of necessary facilities or services in the local community including public transport and recreational facilities or services – local authorities should consider the adult’s ability to get around in the community safely and consider their ability to use such facilities as public transport, shops or recreational facilities when considering the impact on their wellbeing. Local authorities do not have responsibility for the provision of NHS services such as patient transport, however they should consider needs for support when the adult is attending healthcare appointments.
• Carrying out any caring responsibilities the adult has for a child – local authorities should consider any parenting or other caring responsibilities the person has. The adult may for example be a step-parent with caring responsibilities for their spouse’s children.

What does being “unable” to achieve mean?

• Being unable to achieve the outcome without assistance. This would include where an adult would be unable to do so even when assistance is provided. It also includes where the adult may need prompting for example, some adults may be physically able to wash but need reminding of the importance of personal hygiene.
• Being able to achieve the outcome without assistance but doing so causes the adult significant pain, distress or anxiety. For example, an older person with severe arthritis may be able to prepare a meal but doing so will leave them in severe pain and unable to eat the meal.
• Being able to achieve the outcome without assistance but doing so endangers or is likely to endanger the health or safety of the adult, or of others. For example, if the health or safety of another member of the family, including any child, could be endangered when an adult attempts to complete a task or an activity without relevant support.
• Being able to achieve the outcome without assistance but takes significantly

longer than would normally be expected. For example, an adult with a physical disability is able to dress themselves in the morning, but it takes them a long time to do this, leaves them exhausted and prevents them from achieving other outcomes.

CONDITION 3:

As a consequence, there is, or there is likely to be, a significant impact on the adult’s wellbeing.  Local authorities must consider whether the adult’s needs and their inability to achieve the outcomes above cause or risk causing a significant impact on their wellbeing.  Wellbeing is seen as a broad concept covering the following areas:

• personal dignity (including treatment of the person with respect)
• physical and mental health and emotional wellbeing
• protection from abuse and neglect
• control by the person over day-to-day life (including over care and support provided and
• the way it is provided)
• participation in work, education, training or recreation
• social and economic wellbeing
• domestic, family and personal relationships
• suitability of living accommodation
• the person’s contribution to society.