Neighbour father wife sister husband brother friend mother relative 23 Queen Street, Redcar TS10 1AB Tel: 01642 488977 email: [email protected]

Neighbour father wife sister husband brother friend mother relative

23 Queen Street, Redcar TS10 1AB Tel: 01642 488977 email: [email protected] Mary’s Centre, 82-90 St Mary’s Centre, Middlesbrough TS1 2RW www.carerstogether.co.uk


The delivery of social care services by third sector

organisations: challenges and opportunities

Julia Bracknall

Chief Executive

Carers Together

November 2015



Challenges in a period of austerity

• Responding to increasing demand for services

• Working within the context of legislative change: The Care Act 2014

• Addressing the impact of misconceptions

• Maximising opportunities



Increased demand

• Carers are providing more care• Between 2001 and 2015 the number of people

aged over 85 increased by 38%• In the same period the number of people with a

limiting long-term illness increase by 16%• In 2011, 12% of the UK population provided

unpaid care (6.8 million people in 2015) • Homecare provision reduced sharply between

2010-2011 and 2013-2014



Providing unpaid care

Since 2001: • a 16.5% rise in the number of unpaid carers,

which is faster that the general population growth• a 43% increase in people caring for 20-49 hours

per week• a 33% increase in people caring for over

50 hours per week

Source: Valuing Carers 2015 Carers UK



Key issues for carers

• Access to information and advice• Quality services for the cared for person• Recognition and respect• Support to maintain their health and well-being• Taking a break from caring• Support to start/remain in work or education

Source: National Carers Strategy



Positive outcomes for carers

• Feeling recognised and valued.• Being supported early in their caring role.• Improved health and wellbeing.• Receiving appropriate & timely information and

support.• Improved quality of life.• Opportunities to remain in or return to work.



What have carers told us? • 84% of carers stated that caring has a negative impact on

their health • 92% of carers said their mental health has been affected

by caring• 64% of carers identified a lack of practical support and

50% identified a lack of financial support • 44% of carers have been in debt as a result of caring• 39% of carers have put off their own medical treatment &

33% have suffered physical injury as a result of caring• 2.3 million people have given up work at some point to

care for a loved oneSource: In Sickness and In Health (2012) and The State of Caring (2013)



The rising value of carers’ support

• The economic value of the contribution made by carers in the UK is now £132 billion per year (£68bn in 2001)

• This is close to the annual cost of health spending in the UK

• Carers save the public purse £15.1 million per hour

Valuing Carers 2015: Carers UK



Legislative change: The Care Act 2014

• A carer is ‘an adult who provides or intends to provide care for another adult (an adult needing care)’ Section 10(3)

• ‘Care’ includes the provision of ‘practical and emotional support’ Section 10(11)



The duty to assess the carer’s needs

• The duty to carry out a carer’s assessment is triggered where ‘ it appears to the local authority that a carer may have needs for support (whether currently or in the future)’

• Where this applies, the carer does not need to request an assessment; it must be offered.

• This applies regardless of the level of the carer’s needs, the carer’s financial resources or the adult’s financial resources



Carer’s assessments

• Carers are on an equal footing with adults needing care, with regard to an assessment of their needs.

• A carer’s assessment must consider:- whether the carer is able & willing to provide care- the impact on the carer’s wellbeing- the day-to-day outcomes the carer wants to achieve - whether the carer works, participates in education,

training or recreation or would like to. Section 10 (5 and 6)



The effect of the carer’s needs

• The carer’s physical or mental health is or is at risk of deteriorating• The carer is unable to achieve any of the following outcomes:

- Carrying out caring responsibilities for a child

- Providing care to other people

- Maintaining a habitable home environment

- Managing and maintaining nutrition

- Developing or maintaining family or other personal

relationships

- Engaging in work, training, education or volunteering

- Making use of necessary facilities or services in the local community

- Engaging in recreational activities



‘Significant’ impact

• Significant is not defined in the Care Act so the normal everyday usage applies:

‘important consequential effect on daily life,

independence and wellbeing’.• There can be a cumulative impact eg a significant

impact in one area of wellbeing or a lesser impact in number of areas of wellbeing.

• Fluctuating needs should also be considered over a period of time.



The outcome of an assessment

• The carer is entitled to a written record of their eligibility, with reasons.

• If the carer has needs the local authority must consider how to meet them.

• Where the adult needing care is resident in their area the local authority must meet the carer’s needs.

• Where the carer has no eligible needs the local authority must provide written advice and information about other services



Support planning• Where there is a duty to meet the carer’s needs the

local authority must prepare a Support Plan for the carer.

• Preparing the Support Plan must involve the carer and any other person the carer asks to be involved.

• The local authority must take all reasonable steps to reach agreement with the carer about how their needs should be met.

• The carer is entitled to their own personal budget and has the right to direct payments



Carers of disabled children and young carers (Children & Families Act 2014)

• There is a duty to assess where:

- it appears to the local authority that the carer may have needs for support

- an assessment is requested.• Assessment must consider:

- whether the carer has needs for support

- whether services should be provided to meet those

needs.



Parent carers assessment

• A parent carer is defined as an adult ‘ who provides or intends to provide care for a disabled child for whom the person has parental responsibility’.

• Assessment must consider both the need to safeguard and promote the welfare of the disabled child and the wellbeing of the carer



Young carers

• A young carer is defined as ‘a person under 18 who provides or intends to provide care for another person, excluding those providing care under a contract or as voluntary work.’

• A young carer’s assessment must include:- an assessment of whether it is appropriate for the young

carer to provide or continue to provide care for the person in

question, in the light of the young carer’s needs for support,

other needs and wishes.

- consideration of the young carer’s participation in education

training, recreation or work.



Maximising opportunities• Monitor and use evidence of need/demand• Identify gaps in services & tell the ‘right’ people• Involve service users in designing

services/activities that respond to the requirements of new legislation

• Develop responses to austerity pressures in partnership with the public sector

• Explore new models of service delivery • Develop & negotiate creative options for a mixed

economy



Carers Together’s services: developing a mixed economy

• Individual information and support• Dementia Adviser Service• Carers Assessments and Support Plans• Support for parent carers• Welfare Rights Service • Counselling Service• Legal Clinic• Carers groups, events and social activities• Training for carers, families and professionals• Carers’ newsletter & website



The impact of misconceptions

• Volunteers are the solution to meeting increased demand?

• Contracting with large providers reduces risks for public sector bodies?

• Unpaid carers can provide more care to meet additional needs?



Contact us

Carers Together

23 Queen Street

Redcar

TS10 1AB

St Mary’s Centre, 82-90 Corporation Road

Middlesbrough

TS1 2RW

01642 488977

[email protected]

www.carerstogether.co.uk



Useful resources

Assessments and the Care ActGetting help in England from April 2015

Carers UK

www.carersuk.org

Care Act 2014

Social Care Institute for Excellence

www.scie.org.uk

Documents

Neighbour father wife sister husband brother friend mother relative 23 Queen Street, Redcar TS10 1AB Tel: 01642 488977 email: [email protected]