Carers Assessment

What is a Carer Assessment? 

A Carer Assessment is about you and your role as a carer. It looks at what you need to help you look after yourself and stay safe and well while caring for someone. Share how caring affects your life and what it makes difficult for you. If you need support, an assessment can identify any help you may be eligible to receive.   

Oxfordshire County Council (OCC) and Carers Oxfordshire are responsible for Carer Assessments in Oxfordshire. We use them to create support plans to help you stay well and do the things that are important to you. We will involve you throughout and support you to have choice and control. 
 
If you have difficulty being involved with an assessment or support plan you can ask someone you know to help. If you would like an independent person (an advocate who is not a friend or family member) to support you during the assessment process please call the Social and Health Care team on 0345 050 7666, select option 2 and ask about their advocacy service.

As a carer, you are entitled to request an assessment no matter how much care you provide or if the person you support has a formal diagnosis or not. You are not obliged to do a Carer Assessment.

Carer assessment

Ways to do a Carers Assessment 

1. On Oxfordshire County Council’s website. Complete the Carers Assessment form yourself online. Carers Oxfordshire will contact you afterwards to discuss any support you may need. 

 2. A call with Carers Oxfordshire. We will ask you the assessment questions via phone and fill out the Carers Assessment with you.  Contact us  we will arrange for someone to call. 
 
If you need to speak to someone straight away call Carers Oxfordshire on 01235 424715. 

What will happen at my assessment? 

We will discuss your caring role and what you’re being relied on to do. The assessment will consider your well-being, outline your needs and how to meet them. This might range from offering guidance and information to arranging for services. During your assessment we will discuss:  

• Your situation and the person you care for.
• What you do, and what you would like to be doing outside your caring role.
• How caring impacts your life and ability to do things for yourself.
• The impact of caring on your well-being.
• If you are caring for an adult, if you’re able and willing to continue to provide care.
• What is important to you.
• If you’re a parent carer we will ask you about your family, to make sure their needs are considered too. 
 
The length of your assessment depends on your needs and what you want to discuss. Most assessments take between thirty minutes and two hours.   

You will receive a copy of your completed assessment.  

Support Plans  

If your Carers Assessment shows you need support, Carers Oxfordshire will work with you to create a support plan. Your support plan will list the things you need help with, and who can help. We will not make any decisions about support without you. You will receive a copy of your support plan.  

 The plan will consider: 

• The needs identified in your assessment
• The outcomes you wish to achieve 
• How to prevent or delay the development of future needs
• Your wishes for work, education, training, or recreation.
• Your well-being
• Your values and aspirations
• Services available in your local community
• The needs of your family (if you’re a parent) 

 A support plan will also outline if you are eligible for a Carer Personal Budget – a payment from OCC to help support you with your caring role. You must use the money to help meet the needs outlined in your support plan. These can be related to employment, education, training, or well-being. 
 
It may be that the best way to meet your needs is to consider provision of care and support directly to the person that you care for, in this case we will make a referral to the appropriate local authority service (with your and their permission) to do a needs assessment or review their existing support.
 

How can I prepare for a Carers Assessment?  

Think about what you do as a carer before the assessment. Talk things through with family and friends. You could keep a diary for a week about the care you provide. Include how it affects you and makes you feel.