Am I a carer?

You may be a parent, a partner, a son or daughter, a sister or brother, friend or neighbour to someone who requires support as a result of their illness (physical or mental), disability or substance misuse.

If you provide them with help and support to manage their life – you are a carer.

Do you help care workers?

No, our service offers help, information and advice to people who provide unpaid support to a family member, friend or neighbour.

When we refer to unpaid this means care workers who receive a salary or wage from an employer. It does not relate to any benefits or support you might be receiving as a carer.

What support am I entitled to as a carer?

Being a carer can affect many aspects of your life, such as your own health & wellbeing, relationships, employment & finances and access to social activities.

The support you are entitled to will depend on just how much your caring role impacts on your life but be assured there is support available for all carers, so get in touch and request an Adult Carers Support Plan.

What about the person I care for, how do I get help for them?

If you think the person you care for requires additional support to stay at home then you should contact the relevant team from within the Health & Social Care Partnership.

For Children (under 18) – Request for Assistance Team, 0141 577 3557

For Adults – Initial Contact Team, 800 7850, initialcontactteam@eastrenfrewshire.gov.uk

The person you care for will be offered an assessment of their care needs.

This assessment gathers information about the needs, strengths, risks and wishes a person has and helps decide the best way the person can be supported to achieve their goals and outcomes and to live as best as they can.

Who carries out the assessment?

It is likely that the assessment will be undertaken by a member of staff from the Health & Social Care Partnership, including a social worker, social work assistant, occupational therapist, or care manager?

Can I be involved?

The assessment will be of the person with care needs but as a carer your views should be taken into account as far as is reasonable and practical.

Is there a cost to the care or support?

It is likely that the person may be expected to pay towards some of the services identified through the assessment, so it is likely that a financial assessment will be undertaken as part of the overall assessment. The financial assessment should maximise the person’s income but will decide on the contribution to the cost of care and support.

How is support or care provided to the person I care for?

East Renfrewshire actively promotes Self-Directed Support. Self-Directed Support, referred to as SDS, enables the person with care needs or the carer, to take control and arrange some or all of your support.

There are 4 options under SDS and each gives you the choice of how much control, flexibility and choice over your care and support.

Option 1 – the local authority makes a direct payment to the supported person or their carer allowing them to arrange their support.

Option 2 – the person being supported chooses how their support is delivered and the local authority makes arrangements for this support on the person’s behalf.

Option 3 – the local authority selects the appropriate support and arranges support on behalf of the person with care needs

Option 4 – Can be a combination of the above options, for specific aspects of a person’s care and support.

For more information about SDS please visit www.selfdirectedsupportscotland.org.uk