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INFORMATION
SHEET 9 Accessing
Community Care Services
There may come a time in our lives when we need help, for one reason or another, with personal or household tasks either for ourselves or for someone we are caring for. Since 1993 under the Community Care Act, Local Authorities have a duty to provide help to anyone living in the community who is assessed as being in need of help. If you think you need an assessment or the person you are caring for does, you will need to contact: The Community Care Advice Centre, Aldborough Road North, Newbury Park, Ilford IG2 7SR Telephone: 020 8708 7333 Minicom: 020 8503 8898 E-mail:Community.Care@redbridge.gov.uk All requests for an assessment of need are channelled to the Client Services Team, which is based at the Community Care Advice Centre. Requests are then categorised and referred on to the appropriate Social Work team for subsequent contact. Everyone who requests an assessment will receive a letter to let him or her know the situation. If a referral is accepted the letter will tell you what Social Work team is dealing with your case and a contact number if you need to speak to them. However, if your request is not accepted because it does not meet the criteria for eligibility to receive services, you will be informed and a copy of the local authority eligibility criteria enclosed with the letter. Requests for Occupational Therapists initially go through the Client Services Team. Requests from parents caring for children with special needs are sent directly to the Children & Families team. There are several categories of need into which clients are placed depending on their initial contact and what help they say they need. Do try and give as clear a picture as possible to the Clients' Services' Team to help them categorise your case. You may find you have to wait for some time before an assessment is made, try and find out when you first contact Community Care Advice Centre how long this may be. REMEMBER.... You have the right under the Carers and Disabled Children' Act to ask for a Carers Assessment even if the person you are supporting refuses an assessment or help from Social Services. PAYING FOR RESIDENTIAL CARE Under Community Care local authorities have a duty to assess people who have been referred to them to discover their need for either residential care or domiciliary help (e.g. personal care) in the home. When the Local Authority (LA) assess someone as needing residential care they will make arrangements to provide that care. The charge will depend upon individual financial assessments. For further details about the charging policy please contact the Community Care Advice Centre for a 'Residential Care' information leaflet. If you are able to support yourself financially in a residential home you may choose to make your own arrangements. CONTINUING CARE Redbridge Primary Care Trust provide continuing care through a range of facilities. All those seeking NHS continuing care go through a multi-disciplinary assessment to determine their exact needs and their eligibility for the service. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT RESIDENTIAL AND CONTINUING CARE: Carers UK Ruth Pitter House 20 - 25 Glasshouse Yard London EC1A 4JT CarersLine: 0808 808 7777 Relatives and Residents Association 24 The Ivories 6 - 18 Northampton Street London N1 2YH Helpline: 020 7359 8136 The Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) is the independent public body, which in April 2004 took over the regulation of private and voluntary care standards throughout England (previously the responsibility of the National Care Standards Commission). The CSCI's responsibilities include the registration and inspection of care homes (including care homes with nursing), domiciliary care agencies and nurses' agencies. For general enquires, or a list of agencies or care homes, contact the CSCI on 0845 015 0120 Updated March 2007 |
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Redbridge Carers Support Service Third Floor, 17 Station Road, Ilford, Essex, IG1 4DW email: office@rcss.org.uk Registered Charity No. 1057505 Company Limited by Guarantee Company No 2959566
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