How social workers can get it right for self-funders

Many people do not think about approaching councils for advice on accessing care because of a lack of knowledge and because of the perceived stigma of doing so, said the 2011 report People who pay for care, published by organisations including the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services.

So, the first obstacle to providing information and advice to self-funders is finding them, says Simon Bottery, director of policy at Independent Age. And as the Care Bill will mean that local authorities will have a duty from April 2015 to provide information and advice to all people in need of care services "that should be concentrating their minds", he says.

Independent Age has been working with the Social Care Institute for Excellence and Think Local Act Personal to put together three tools to help local authorities with this exact problem. Due to be launched this month, they consist of an interactive map showing the typical journeys that people take through the social care system to help councils carry out market analysis locally; principles for devising an information and advice strategy; and a jargon buster with terms used by social care professionals and their meanings.

"You need to identify where people go for information so that you can reach out to them," says Bottery. "Information can't just be web based. Many local authorities are focusing on their websites because it has lots of advantages, but many older people don't use the internet so you need to know whether your self-funders are in contact with, for example, local solicitors, Citizens Advice Bureaux or the local Age UK branch. And look at the media they use - older people are more likely to listen to local radio and read local newspapers than visit websites."