What Help can Social Care Provide?

1. Help in Your Own Home

Help with personal care and daily living can be provided by an individual care worker, who may be employed either by Social Care or by a private agency. The worker will work to an agreed Care Plan.

People can have this care by receiving a payment to employ their own carer, if they prefer. This is known as a Direct Payment. Help and advice to manage this arrangement is provided by the Cheshire Centre for Independent Living.

For people who need a lot of care, the Care Manager may request a contribution from the Independent living fund.

2. Equipment and Adaptations

People with disabilities may require items of equipment to help them at home or to get out and about, and adaptations may be needed to their home.

These are assessed arranged through the Occupational Therapy Service.

3. Help Away From Home

Day Services can provide activities to help disabled people to gain more confidence and greater independence through developing skills and interests.

Social Care provides a Supported Employment Service for those adults who want to obtain work and need help to do so. A variety of work opportunities, work placements and voluntary work can be arranged, leading to paid work wherever possible. Other things Social Care can help arrange include community groups, college courses, clubs and social groups.

4. Accommodation Services

Most adults with disabilities move into a tenancy of their own once they leave their parents’ home. Tenancies can be provided by Borough Councils or Housing Associations, and can be shared arrangements with other disabled people, or single tenancies. Social Care work with people to find a place of their own, and to arrange the care and support required.

Other forms of accommodation include residential homes, nursing homes and placement in the home of a family-based carer.

5. Short Break Services

There are a range of service which can provide short breaks away from home for people with disabilities. These can be planned and regular short stays to give carers a break, emergency arrangements if support is needed unexpectedly, or the opportunity to see what being away from the family is like.

Short breaks can be arranged in Social Care homes, independent homes, family-based care or for those with a higher level of needs, special houses provided by Health trusts.

Do I have to pay for services?

All services provided by Social Care for people over 18 may have to be paid for. Each disabled person is asked to provide details of their own income from benefits and any other sources, and a Financial Assessment is made. Parents or carers may provide this information on behalf of the person.