What is an Assessment?

An adult care and support needs assessment is available to anyone over the age over 18 years old and is simply a discussion with you about your needs and the sort of help you could benefit from.

Throughout the whole assessment we will involve you to ensure that the process is appropriate to you, is flexible and identifies what your needs are and how these impact on your wellbeing.

If you would like to have someone to help you, like a family member or close friend whilst undergoing the assessment, this is okay. If you are not able to be fully involved in the assessment and do not have friends or family to assist you then you can be referred to an advocate who will be able to offer support.

A needs assessment will start to consider what your care and support needs are and how they might be met. It is vital that you give as much detail as about your needs as possible.  Think about all aspects of your life, such as personal care, washing, showering, dressing, going to the toilet, preparing meals, shopping. Do you struggle with any of these things? If so, what could help?

The aim of the conversation is to understand:

• your strengths and the things you enjoy, as well as the areas of your life that may be difficult for you. This will include your cultural or spiritual needs
• support you to understand your situation and what you can do to reduce or delay the need for social care support
• identify needs that could be reduced, or delayed by providing short term support (re-ablement) or with advice and information
• how you manage throughout the day, for example with practical tasks such as washing, dressing and getting around your home
• establish how your needs impact on your daily life, your well-being and on your ability to achieve your outcomes
• whether you are able to get involved in activities in your local community, for example, are you struggling to attend activities that you used to enjoy and be important to you?
• whether you are able to see or speak to family and friends
• the needs of your carer if you have one
• the caring responsibilities that you might have for someone else
• what you would like to be able to achieve – your goals in life
• your health
• your safety around the house and when you are out

We determine whether you are eligible for local authority funded care and support to meet your assessed needs by applying national eligibility criteria as set out in The Care Act 2014.

Following your care and support needs assessment, we will tell you about our decision and give you reasons to explain what we have decided. This will say if you are eligible to have your needs met by the local authority.

If you have been assessed as eligible for local authority funded care and support, we will also ask you to have a financial assessment (WAITING TO CHECK THE INFO IN THIS LINK) to see how much your care and support will cost and how much you may have to contribute.

We will then work with you to develop a Care and Support Plan which will set out how your needs can be best met.

If you are not eligible for local authority funded care and support, there is lots of information, advice and guidance on this website that you can use to help yourself or someone you care for. We can also help you to:

• find solutions to meet your needs if possible by providing you with the information and advice you need.
• consider the involvement and support of carers, families, friends to meet your needs.
• consider what support is available in your local community, including activities / groups organised by local charities or voluntary organisations. Details of different services, local activities / groups that are can be found on the Community Directorychecker    

If your needs change again in the future and you feel you need further support, you can always ask for further information, advice and guidance. You can also request another assessment should you need it.  
If you want to request an assessment for yourself or for someone you know and you/they live in:

Stoke on Trent

• Telephone: 0800 561 0015
• Email: social.care@stoke.gov.uk

If you live outside out this area or are unsure, please use this postcode checker to find your local authority.