Referral for a community care assessment

The principal aim of community care is to help people who need care and support to live an independent life at home, or in homely surroundings within the community.

Agencies providing community care services in Barnsley work together to ensure that people have good quality care and support at home. If you are finding it difficult to manage you can contact any of the main community care agencies. This may be your G.P, Social Services, or district nurse.

Community care aims to help frail older people and people with disabilities to

• Continue living in their own homes
• Find alternative accommodation if their existing home is not suitable
• Get the right amount of care and support for themselves and their carers
• Have a greater say in how they live their lives

Community care services also include health care services such as chiropody, physiotherapy or district nursing, for which you will not be charged.

The eligibility criteria consists of two bands. From April 2003, your needs will be met if you are either the critical or substantial band. If You or the person you care for is having difficulties coping with everyday life you may be entitled to help from social services. Critical à we aim to respond to critical requests if the following factors apply:

• Where there is immediate risk to life or physical safety
• Serious abuse has occurred or will occur
• Significant health problems have developed or will develop
• Where someone is homeless or potentially homeless
• Where someone is unable to carry out basic personal care or domestic routines
• Vital involvement in work, education or learning cannot or will not be sustained
• Where carers providing substantial and regular support are no longer able to cope

Where vital family and other social roles and responsibilities cannot or will not be undertaken Substantial à we aim to respond to substantial requests for help if the following factors apply:

• Inability to maintain a safe/sanitary environment
• Abuse or neglect has occurred or will occur where someone has little control over the home environment
• Where someone is unable or will become unable to carry out the majority of personal care or domestic routines

If you are finding it difficult to manage you can contact any of the main community care agencies. This may be your G.P, Social Services, or District Nurse. When you ask for help, you will be offered an assessment so that you can talk about your needs and get advice on the type of care and support available. If there is someone caring for you, they will also be involved in the assessment and asked what support they need. Once the assessment is complete and you are happy with the care and support that can be arranged, you will be asked to sign and be given a copy of your care plan, this sets out details of the care that will be provided. Social Services will review the care plan regularly to make sure the care you are receiving meets your needs.

Charges / Fees

There is a charge for these services, you will be given information about charging for services and how much you will have to pay, this is worked out on your income and also the amount of service to be provided.

Method of Payments Available

You have two options on how you pay for the service we provide you can either be invoiced and pay by cheque, or collect home care stamps from the post office which are attached to a green card and submitted to us quarterly.

Opening Times

See the Social Services District Offices webpage.

How the Customer can help

It is important that you ask for an assessment if you think that you need community care services