Assessment - Creating knowledgeable families
Getting the provision of information and advice right for individuals and families and facilitating access to it is critical to meeting the requirements of the Care Act and its Guidance
Overview
Providing good quality information and advice at the right time and in the right way is important to help people make informed decisions, maintain their independence and manage their emerging social care needs.
Features
What does it mean? ...at first contact
- Information on what to expect at each part of the process and what to do if things change
- Access to peer support networks
- Signposting to additional sources of advice and support e.g. local carers centres and direct payment support services
- Early information and signposting to online tools for financial charging
- Early information and signposting to online tools for support planning
- Early information and signposting to support and advice on direct payments
- Support to review and explore alternative sources of support
What does it mean? ...at assessment
- Supported self-assessment for those who want and can manage it
- Empowering approach from trained and skilled professionals
- Choice of time, location and medium for how the assessment and planning activity is carried out
- Support to access sources of specialist training and skills development to improve self-management - e.g. good employment practice, self-advocacy training, understanding the health and social care system
What does it mean? ...at planning stage
- A range of DIY support planning tools enabling people to plan for themselves
- Use of person centred tools and approaches e.g. what makes a really good day
- Just enough time and support to enable people to lead the planning process
- Access to specialist advice and support for people planning to use a direct payment to manage staff
- Access to up to date information to navigate the broadest range of options available to meet the outcomes identified
What does it mean? ...at review
- A light touch review process which enables people who are managing well to self-review and provides scalable support as required
- Support to keep and share records if using a direct payment
Problem
Information and advice is provided by Councils via leaflets which are not comprehensive and are not always available. Web sites are sometimes used to convey information that are corporate and do not meet the needs of people who use services. Therefore, when information is provided it is not centred on the needs of the individual and may not meet the information and advice requirements detailed in the Care Act. In addition, advocacy and independent advice services are not established - a requirement of the Care Act.
Solutions
Many people don't seek initial information and advice from the Council - they get it from family, friends, people in the community and the voluntary sector. The quality of this information & advice is likely to be variable depending on the source. The councils role under the Care Act is to support the development of good quality information and advice and facilitate people's access to it.
For further information on the provision of information and advice, refer to TLAP's Information, advice and brokerage resources, in particular the Information and advice strategy tool.
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