Needs Assessment with Adult Social Care

Adult Social Care help 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.

Your care 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

Adult Social Care at Newcastle City Council

Community Health and Social Care Direct (CHSCD) Team 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 moving around your home, cooking, washing, or caring for someone.

They will work 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. 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 is a Needs Assessment?

People who have care needs, can ask for a Needs Assessment. This is a conversation with Adult Social Care Staff to find out if you can get help and support from the Council. (This is explained in Section 9 of The Care Act (2014).)

A Needs Assessment is arranged with you, by a member of Adult Social Care staff at Newcastle City Council. It might take place face to face, or over the phone. It can take about an hour. It’s your chance to:

get information and advice about care and support
see if you’re eligible for support from Adult Social Care
find out what support is available to help you live independently at home

Needs Assessments are also known as: a conversation about your needs, Community Care Assessment, Care Act Assessment, Social Care Assessments or a Care and Support Assessment.

What is eligibility?

The Care Act sets out the criteria 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’ or that you are ‘eligible’ for support if you meet this criteria. This is decided when you have a Needs Assessment.

Before your Needs Assessment

You don’t need to worry about your assessment. Think of it as a conversation with Adult Social Care staff at Newcastle City Council. They want to find out what support and services can make life easier for you.

Before you speak to Adult Social Care it can help to make some notes. You could make a list of things that works well for you and things you find difficult, so you can talk about this. Think about how you feel on ‘good days’. For example, do you have any family or friends who help you? What do you enjoy?

How do you feel on ‘bad days’? For example, if you find it difficult to wash, dress, move around your home, look after your family or get out and about.

It can help to talk these things through with someone that knows you well, such as a friend or family member.

Independent Age has a guide on how to prepare for a Needs Assessment.

During your Needs Assessment

Adult Social Care staff will talk to you to find out more about your life. They want to understand how you’re managing day to day. They will ask you to describe if you can you manage to:

prepare a meal or drink
wash and dress
go to the toilet
leave the house
sleep
do you get any help from family, friends, district nurse or carers

Who is involved

You can have a carer, family member or friend with you during your conversation with Adult Social Care.

An independent advocate can help you to use Adult Social Care services. Advocacy is for adults who find it difficult to understand or take part in discussions. An advocate can help you to get your voice heard and understand your rights. They can help you to take part in your Needs Assessment.

Adult Social Care at Newcastle City Council can arrange an advocate to help you if you have no one else who can support you, such as a friend or family member. The advocate will support you to understand the discussion and express your views. Adult Social Care can then work out what support you need to help you stay independent.

After your Needs Assessment

After your assessment Adult Social Care will explain if you’re eligible for further support from the Council, or not. They can still give you information and advice to help you.

If you’re eligible for support

After your Needs Assessment Adult Social Care will work with you to:

create your personal care and support plan. This plan will set out how your support needs may be met and what services you are eligible for from the Council. You can be involved in creating your plan

arrange a Financial Assessment to find out how much support you can get. You may still have to pay towards some of your care costs

give you a Personal Budget that will be used to pay for your care and support .

NHS.UK lists what will be included in your care plan.

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

If you’re not eligible for support

You can still get information and advice from Adult Social Care. They can put you in touch with local services who can help.

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

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.

Legal & General have a information and advice service that can help you to find and fund your care.

Speak to Adult Social Care at Newcastle City Council if your needs or situation changes. They can review your care needs.

If you’re not happy with 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.

Carers Assessments

A carer gives unpaid care and support to someone who can’t manage without their help. This could be a family member, friend, partner or neighbour. Carers can get help and support from Adult Social Care.

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

Moving from Children’s to Adult 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. To help plan your move to Adult Social Care you will be offered a Transition Assessment, also known as a Needs Assessment.