"You have been the carer's carer to me."
That's how carer Wendy Perry described the person who carried out her carer's assessment.
People who work with carers provide them with an essential link to the world outside caring plus invaluable advice and support. They also have the responsibility of carrying out carers' assessments and as the law is about to change, it is critical that they have the updated skills and knowledge to be able to complete them effectively.
A carers' assessment identifies carers' needs by looking at:
Their role as a carer
How being a carer affects them
How much caring a person can realistically do while still having time to be involved in other activities outside of caring
And any other help they may need.
The Care Act comes into effect in April 2015 and states that anyone who provides or intends to provide a substantial amount of care on a regular basis has a legal right to a carer's assessment.
Once a carer has requested an assessment, the local council has a duty to do one. These new requirements may have an impact for employers by increasing the demand for assessments and changing the way they are undertaken.
So to mark Carers Week a free e-learning course and two guides, developed by Skills for Care in partnership with Carers Trust, are being launched for those who carry out carers' assessments. The e-learning course, Carers' Assessments: Getting it right, offers advice and best practice guidance for how to prepare for and conduct statutory carers' assessments to achieve the best outcomes for the carer. The online course will help:
Identify carers and the implications of caring
Recognise the purpose of assessments and how to overcome barriers
Conduct an assessment
And provide support planning.
The two guides support the e-learning, but are also designed to be used as standalone resources.
'Carers and communities' is a guide to understanding why carers need communities and communities need carers. It will give people working with carers an overview of ways in which practice can strengthen the ties between carers and their community, and why this leads to better outcomes for everyone.
'Assessing carer's needs – a short guide to taking account of everyone in the family who cares' is aimed at those working with carers and families. It is designed to take a whole family approach to a carer's assessment and support planning. It helps ensure that families are supported in the best way, to care for as long as they wish, or are able to do so.
When the new e-learning course was developed Skills for Care interviewed some carers about their experience of having an assessment. To view the thought provoking film, focusing on the impact of carers' assessments go to our website.
To access the e-learning and download the guides click here.
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