Introduction to Adult Social Care

Adult Social Care helps people to stay independent, safe and well, so you can live the life you want. They work with people who have care needs. This includes people with health conditions, disabilities, neurodiversity or mental health issues. They help carers too. Adult Social Care is also known as care and support for adults.

Getting help at the right time means you can plan ahead and make choices that are right for you. You can start this conversation with Adult Social CarePoint at Newcastle City Council.

This page explains more about the Adult Social Care process in Newcastle. Where to start and who to speak to. You can get information and advice for free. If you have “eligible care needs” you may be able to get more help to plan or pay for your care.

You don’t have to speak to the council to arrange your own care and support. But you can get free information and advice from the council to help you.

Adult Social CarePoint at Newcastle City Council

Adult Social CarePoint at Newcastle City Council can talk to you to find out how are you managing at home. They give information and support adults in Newcastle who find day to day activities difficult. This could include community activities, moving around your home, cooking, washing, or caring for someone.

They will have a conversation with you to understand your situation. To find out what’s working well and where they can help. They can put you in touch with local services and support in your community. If you need one they can arrange a Needs Assessment, to find out if the council can help you further

Some people are eligible for financial help from the Council. If you can’t get financial help, they will tell you about services that could make your life easier.

Contact them for an informal chat to find out what kind of support they can offer you.

Telephone: 0191 278 8377 or email: [email protected]

What are care and support needs?

When you have problems managing day to day tasks, you may have care and support needs.

This can be due to an illness or disability. Your care needs can be short or long term. You may struggle to:

get dressed and washed
cook or eat food
remember to take medication
move around your house
carry out everyday tasks
get out and about

Who provides care and support

Care and support can be:

arranged and paid for by you in your home, in your community or in a care home
given by an unpaid carer, such as a family member, neighbour or friend
arranged by Adult Social Care at Newcastle City Council
arranged before you leave hospital. For example you may go to a Reablement service to recover further before going home

What is eligibility?

The Care Act sets out how to decide if you can receive support or money from Adult Social Care at Newcastle City Council.

It’s described as having ‘eligible care needs’ ‘ eligibility criteria’ or that you are ‘eligible’ for support if you meet this. This is decided when you have a Needs Assessment.

Moving from Children’s to Adult’s Social Care

Children’s Social Care supports families with children and young people under the age of 18. They work with families to make sure that children and young people are safe, healthy, and have the support they need to grow up happy and well. When you reach the age of 18, Social Care services are usually provided by Adult Social Care.

Children legally become adults at the age of 18. This does not change if you have care and support needs. You will start the move to Adult Social Care between the age of 16 and 18. This is known as the transition from Children’s to Adult Services. There is not a set age to move to Adults Social Care. Everybody is different. It will happen at the time that is right for you.

Adult Social Care process

1. Contact Adult Social CarePoint at Newcastle City Council. They will talk to you to find out if you or your carer needs help. They will give you information, advice and put you in touch with local services.

If you have eligible care needs: They can arrange a Needs Assessment to find out what support they can give you.

2. Needs Assessment: This is where Adult Social Care talk to you to find out more about your life. They want to understand how you’re managing day to day. After the assessment, they will explain if you’re eligible for support from the Council, or not. If you are eligible for support you can get a financial assessment to find out how much support you can get.

If you are not eligible for support Adult Social Care can still give you information and advice. They can work with you to create a support plan.

3. Carers Assessment: is for the person who cares for an adult in Newcastle. Adult Social Care will talk to carers to find out if you can get support from the council to make life easier for you.

4. Financial Assessment: Looks at how much money you have. This assessment decides if you can get funding from the Council to help pay for your care and support.

5. Personal budgets: If you are eligible for funding from the council you can get a personal budget. This money from the council is to pay for your care and support. You can manage your own money or Adult Social Care can do this for you.

6. Direct Payments: You can use your ‘personal budget’ to choose and buy care and support services. You can pay for these services directly from you council funding, or you can get help to manage this money.

7. If your needs or situation changes: Speak to Adult Social CarePoint at Newcastle City Council. They can review your care needs or support plan if needed.

Arrange your own care and support services

You can arrange your own care and support. You can get help to plan and arrange your own care:

Adult Social CarePoint at Newcastle City Council can still give you free information and advice. You don’t have to have an assessment. They can put you in touch with local services who can help.

Disability North offer independent living advice and support. They can help you to employ a personal assistant, manage your personal budget and direct payments.

EAC HousingCare is a free housing and care advice service. They help older people make choices about their housing and care options. They have a free telephone and give online information and advice.

PayingForCare is a national information and advice service. They can help you understand how much you may need to pay towards your care.

Services to help you live at home

You can pay for support services to make your life easier. If you are eligible for funding from the council you can use your personal budget to pay for these services.

Adult Social CarePoint at Newcastle City Council can give you information about services to help you.

Home Care is where a professional care worker can visit you at home. They can help you get dressed, washed and with small cleaning jobs. Read more about home care agencies in Newcastle

Cleaning services and Laundry services can help you with household chores.

Day services and lunch groups are services to help you to get out and socialise. They can provide meals, transport, entertainment and activities.

Hot or frozen meals can be delivered to you at home. They can provide meals for your dietary requirements.

Equipment, aids and home adaptations can make it easier for you to manage at home. A small piece of equipment can make a difference. There are things to help you move around, pick things up, wash, look after yourself and others.

Help to pay for home adaptations may be available to you if you need it.

Personal alarm systems and telecare allows you to call for help in an emergency, for example if you have a fall. It can help you live independently at home. Remind you to take medication, warn you if there’s danger and provide peace of mind.

After a stay in hospital, illness or injury a health or social care professional may refer you to one of these services:

Reablement Service is short term service in your home. They help you to recover, increase your confidence and live independently.
Short term rehabilitation services to help you regain skills you have lost. This is a live in service for people who need support to recover further before returning home.

Independent Age have a telephone helpline. They can give you advice on care, benefits, getting help at home and adapting your home. They can arrange a follow up appointment for more detailed discussions.

Support for Carers

You are a carer if you give unpaid care and support to someone who can’t manage without your help. This could be a family member, friend, partner or neighbour. The person you look after may have:

a disability or learning disability
a long term or life limiting illness
mental health difficulties
alcohol or drug related problems

Help is available for carers in Newcastle. This includes benefits advice, carers support, taking a break so you can rest and more.

Carers assessment: This is a conversation about your needs as a carer. To help reduce the impact of caring on your work, life and wellbeing. You can find out what support is available to you from Adult Social Care.

Carers Wellbeing Fund is funding that carers can apply for. It can be used so you can take a break from caring, learn something new or prepare for employment.

Family or friend care is when grandparents or other family members step in to raise a relative’s or friend’s child. This is also known as Kinship care. Help is available in Newcastle.

When your home no longer suits your needs

Other housing options are available. It may be that your home no longer suits your needs or adaptations to your home are too expensive. Help and advice is available to help weigh up your options and to choose:

Retirement housing (sheltered housing)
Assisted living (extra care)
Almshouses
Care homes
Advice on choosing the right accommodation for you

Care homes or Nursing Care are for people who are no longer able to live independently at home. It is housing where you are cared for by qualified carers. Different levels of care are available to suit your needs.

You can see the list of Care homes that are commissioned by Newcastle City Council.

Supported housing for people with a learning disability of autism is also available.

Help with health costs

Help with your health costs and continuing health care costs is available from the NHS.

Reviewing your care needs

Your care needs can change. You may need more or less support, when things change. Speak to Adult Social CarePoint at Newcastle City Council to find out what help they can offer. They can arrange to review your Needs Assessment.

Please note, there must be a significant change in your circumstances to get a full review of your needs.

If you’re not happy with the outcome of your needs assessment

Speak to your social worker or the person who you spoke to in Adult Social Care. You can ask to speak to their manager if this doesn’t help.

You can complain to Adult Social Care if you are still not happy.

Advocacy: help to get your voice heard

Advocacy is free, independent support to help you to get your voice heard. Advocacy services pair you up with an independent advocate who is on your side if you need support. Advocates can help people use NHS, housing and Adult Social Care services. They can:

help you to find information
talk things through with you to find out what you want
help you to understand your rights
support you to get your views across at appointments, meetings and assessments
use services if you are unable to do so by yourself

Safeguarding adults

Are you worried about the safety of an adult in Newcastle?

You can get help if you think adult abuse or domestic abuse is happening to you or someone else.

In an emergency or if someone’s life is at risk call 999.

Report abuse or neglect online to Newcastle City Council

Contact Adult Social CarePoint at Newcastle City Council

Information in other formats

You can change InformationNOW to suit your needs. Our website can be read aloud and translated into other languages. You can change the colour, size and contrast of the website to make it easier to read. You can print out the pages to share with people who aren’t online.

Accessible health and social care information is available in the format you need. This means people with a: disability, sensory loss or impairment can get information in different formats. For example, you could need large print information or a BSL interpreter at medical appointments. You can tell services how they need to communicate with you. They have to do this by law. This is known as the Accessible Information Standard. (section 250 of the Health and Social Care Act 2012)

The NHS App gives you access to your health information.

Mental health emergency or crisis

Find more information about what to do if you’re having a mental health emergency or crisis services on Information Now

In an emergency call 999 if you or the person you care for is in danger or their life is at risk.

Adult Social CarePoint at Newcastle City Council Emergency Duty Team (EDT) can be contacted outside of office hours for advice and support. They’re on call to help with care and support emergencies including:

safeguarding children and adults
adult mental health care
children and families
emergency Mental Health Act assessments
making sure that people are safe and cared for until a more thorough assessment of their needs can be carried out the following working day

If you’re struggling with suicidal thoughts or feelings or self harm you can talk to:

Samaritans
Tyneside and Northumberland Mind

Mental health services are available in Newcastle. This includes telephone helplines, counselling services and support groups. Read more on InformationNOW.

Commissioned services

Commissioned services, have a contract with Newcastle City Council to provide a service. The organisation must meet the quality standards set by the council. The organisations are inspected by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

You can see the list of services that Newcastle City Council commissions: