Carer's Assessments

What is the purpose of the assessment?

The purpose of a carer's assessment is for you to discuss with social services what help you need with caring as well as any help that would maintain your own health and balance caring with other aspects of your life such as work and family commitments. Social services use the assessment to decide what help to provide.

The social worker or person carrying out the assessment should not assume you want to take on a caring role or continue caring. They should ask whether you are able and willing to carry out the range of tasks involved in your caring role. For instance, you may be finding it harder to move someone in a wheelcair because of your own health problems or you may be finding it hard to cope because the behaviour of the person you look after is becoming more challenging and causing you stress. You still care about the person you look after, but you may no longer be able to care for them.

As well as looking at the help you need to look after someone, the assessment can be useful to

	explore how you feel about caring with a professional - someone who is not part of the family or close to you
	provide you with information on benefits and support such as carers groups
	explore whether you want to stay in work or return to work and how to make this happen
	look at how caring may affect you in the future and what help you might need

Read more in the following sections:.

Do I qualify for a carer's assessment?
What is the purpose of the assessment?
How do I get one?
Perparing for the assessment
Checklist
What happens at the assessment?
What happens afterwards?
What if I'm not satisfied?

This website has been developed and maintained with support from DHSSPS.