In order to decide if you are entitled to a service from us we use a set of rules known as 'Eligibility Criteria'
What are the 'Eligibility Criteria' and what do they mean for me?
To use most of the adult social care services that Newham provides, you must first have an assessment of your care needs - this includes whether you may need social care services for your own needs, or to help support you if you are caring for someone else.
This assessment may be through our Self Directed Support process or through an assessment carried out by a social care worker. The types of support we can offer at the end of the assessment process are based on the eligibility criteria.
The criteria are based on levels of need, and set out by the Government to ensure there is consistent, clear and fair access to social care services across the country. Officially, this set of rules is known as the 'Fair Access to Care Services' (FACS) criteria.
The eligibility criteria are used to assess the level of risk to a person's independence if help were not available to support them. These cover important aspects of a person's life, including:
- All aspects of health, both mental and physical, plus any concerns about behaviour which would threaten the safety of the individual or those caring for them
- The ability an individual has to control their situation and how far they can make choices about their life
- The ability to manage their personal care needs, domestic activities and look after their own dependants
- The possibility of involvement in leisure and social activities, paid and unpaid
work, learning and volunteering.
The eligibility criteria are divided into four categories or bands: Critical, Substantial, Moderate and Low.
Your assessment will determine which band your needs would fall into, based on the severity of the risk if you were not helped within the next six
months.
Critical
Needs are Critical when one or more of the following are met:
- Life is, or will be, threatened
- Significant health problems have developed or will develop
- There is, or will be, little or no choice and control over vital aspects of the immediate environment
- Serious abuse or neglect has occurred or will occur
- There is, or will be, an inability to carry out vital personal care or domestic routines
- Vital involvement in work, education or learning cannot or will not be sustained
- Vital social support systems and relationships cannot or will not be sustained
- Vital family and other social roles and responsibilities cannot or will not be
undertaken.
Substantial
Needs are Substantial when one or more of the following are met:
- There is, or will be, only partial choice and control over the immediate environment
- Abuse or neglect has occurred or will occur
- There is, or will be, an inability to carry out the majority of personal care or domestic routines
- Involvement in many aspects of work, education or learning cannot or will not be sustained
- The majority of social support systems and relationships cannot or will not be sustained
- The majority of family and other social roles and responsibilities cannot or will not be undertaken.
Moderate
Needs are Moderate when one or more of the following are met:
- There is, or will be, an inability to carry out several personal care or domestic routines
- Involvement in several aspects of work, education or learning cannot or will not be sustained
- Several social support systems and relationships cannot or will not be sustained
- Several family and other social roles and responsibilities cannot or will not be undertaken.
Low
Needs are Low when one or more of the following are met:
- There is, or will be, an inability to carry out one or two personal care or domestic routines
- Involvement in one or two aspects of work, education or learning cannot or will not be sustained
- One or two social support systems and relationships cannot or will not be sustained
- One or two family and other social roles and responsibilities cannot or will not be undertaken.
What criteria does Newham apply?
Although all local authorities must apply this system to assessments, they can decide for themselves which FACS bands of risk they will meet. In Newham we provide social services to people who have either 'Critical' or 'Substantial' care needs. If your needs are assessed as falling within the 'Moderate' or 'Low' risk band, you will not be eligible for directly provided social care services from Newham Council.
Like other council departments and private businesses, Newham Social Services is given a budget each year. This means that Social Services only has a limited amount of money available to use, so we use FACS to allow us to help those with the greatest level of need.
However, if you have 'Moderate' or 'Low' needs, you will still be offered information and advice about other ways in which your needs can be met, and you will be helped to access services that can help to promote your health and wellbeing. We can also put you in contact with a number of local and national voluntary organisations and groups. These organisations will help you to access support groups, meet new people and enjoy new activities in the community. These types of groups and services can reduce any social isolation you may be feeling, help you to stay healthy and delay the need for more intensive support later on.
Where can I get more information?
The Access to Adult Social Care Team is the first point of contact for all referrals and general enquiries. You can contact them from Mon-Thurs 9am-5.15pm and Friday 9am-5pm 0208 430 2000.
If you or the person you care for has a social worker, care manager or other named health professional, then they will be able to provide you with more information. If you don't have a contact name but you know the name of the team, you can contact them and ask to speak to the person on duty.