Understanding the social care system

There is help available for you, and your carer(s), if you live in Stoke-on-Trent or Staffordshire and are vulnerable, elderly or have disabilities.

‘Care and support’ is the term used to describe the help some adults need to live well. It can include help with things like washing, dressing, eating, getting out and about and keeping in touch with friends and family.

The Care Act 2014 made care and support more consistent across the country and changed the way care and support is accessed, assessed and funded. The Act is designed to put you in control. For more information, visit www.gov.uk and search ‘care act’.

Where do I start?

If you feel that you need care and support, telephone Stoke-on-Trent City Council on 0800 561 0015. The Council will have a discussion with you to find out what it is that you need and what is important to you. By talking with you, the Council will help to find the right care and support for you.

If the Council requires more information, it will undertake a social care ‘needs assessment’. This is simply a discussion to take a deeper look into how your physical and mental health needs are having an impact on your wellbeing. The needs assessment also aims to find out if any of your needs might be eligible for Council support.

You will have choice and control over how and when the assessment takes place. You can also choose if you would like a family member or close friend with you during the assessment. Where a person may have difficulty being involved in the assessment, an advocate may be able to help (see page 43).

The Council will always look at what strengths you have and will always explore what you can do yourself and how help can be provided to support you to achieve this.

You will be fully involved in the discussions about the type of support you receive, and any support you do receive will need to have your prior agreement. Carers can ask for a ‘carers’ assessment’ (see page 42 for more details).

What happens next?

If you have eligible care needs, you will be given a care and support plan. This explains what support you need, how this support will be arranged and how much the support will cost. You should be fully involved in writing your care and support plan to ensure it reflects your views and wishes.

If you are not eligible, the Council will still offer free advice and information. The Council will put you in touch with other organisations and services in your community that may be able to help you.

Who is eligible?

Needs assessments are available for anyone over 18. If a child appears to need care and support, the assessment can be completed before their 18th birthday to allow time for planning.

To decide if you are eligible for Council support, the Council will use the Government’s national eligibility criteria.

What if my needs change?

If your needs change, you can ask for a reassessment of your care and support needs.

Staffordshire residents

You can complete the online care and support selfassessment on your own or on behalf of someone else if you have permission to do so. By answering a few questions about your circumstances, you can get advice and guidance to help you to make informed choices about meeting your care and support needs.

The tool also provides a recommendation as to whether a full needs assessment might be helpful to you and allows you to send your information on to your local Council. To access the tool, visit www.staffordshire.gov.uk , search ‘the social care journey explained’ and select ‘complete our free online assessment’.