The Care Act 2014 agrees that the support given to carers is just as important as the support given to the people they take care of. This means that, following the introduction of this Act, the rights of Carers have been put on a similar footing to disabled adults.
A Carer is someone who gives support or care to any adult, whether that be their partner, child, friend or another close relative. According to the Act, the local authority is obligated to consider the Carer’s welfare and assess if there are any steps it can take to prevent, lessen or delay any of the Carer’s needs.
Assessment of the Carer’s needs
S 10 of the Care Act 2014 states that if the local authority is aware of any needs for support a carer may have, now or in the future, it is their duty to assess said needs. The finances of the carers nor the disabled adult will be factored into this assessment. It is not a requirement for the assessment that the person being cared for is receiving local authority support, nor that the Carer and person being cared for live in the same local authority area.
How does the Assessment work?
Your local authority is obligated to offer advice and support to anyone in their local area, in particular the carer’s right to an assessment.
Although most local authorities will need the Carer to complete an online self-assessment, it can be completed in whichever way suits the Carer if required, whether that be via the phone, on paper or in person.
The assessment with be read by either a trained professional from the local authority or another organisation in order to understand what the Carer needs and how the local authority can meet those needs.
The Eligibility Criteria
If the result of the assessment is that the Carer is that they are perceived as eligible for support, a plan is put together to decide what support is needed and what will be done to meet the Carer’s needs. This support plan is an agreement between the local authority and the Carer, usually implemented in direct payments which can then be used by the carer to pay for the support arranged in the plan. This plan is then reviewed between 6 and 8 weeks after the initial agreement, and then every 12 months beyond that.
Young Carers
Section 63 and 64 of the Care Act 2014 states that in the circumstance that a young Carer is likely to need support after turning 18, the local authority is obligated to carry out a ‘young Carer’s assessment’. This assessment includes deciding whether or not the young Carer would be able to continue caring beyond the age of 18, as well as considering their wishes, including if they want to work or pursue further education, and the impact these wishes would have on their ability to continue caring.
Once this assessment has been carried about, the local authority must decide if the young Carer would be eligible for additional support after the age of 18. They are also required to advise and provide information on the potential of preventing, lessening or delaying any further needs that may arise.
Parent Carers of Children
The Children and Families Act 2014 gives parents the right to complete a stand-alone assessment and access to services when they are acting as the Carer of their child. This assessment, the ‘parent carer’s needs assessment’, obligates the local authority to decide whether the parent requires additional support. Once the local authority has decided whether the parent requires additional support and assessed how best to support the parent, they must then identify all the help available for the Carer and family.
