Introduction
Adult social care is the support that helps adults who need assistance because of age, disability, illness, or mental health needs to live as independently, safely, and well as possible, with as much independence, choice and control as possible. It focuses on people’s wellbeing (physical, mental and emotional) and on practical help to manage everyday life for those that need it.
In practice, adult social care covers a wide range of activities to help people to remain safe and independent for as long as possible. This can include information and advice, support to prevent ill-health before it occurs and support plans to maintain independence, safeguarding adults at risk, and where someone meets eligibility criteria, arranging or funding care and support. This can include support at home, community-based services, short-term reablement to help people regain skills after illness or a hospital stay, support for unpaid carers, and, for some people, supported living or residential and nursing care. We are also committed to supporting young people and their families through the transition into adulthood, so they can build independence and achieve their goals.
Local authorities do not always pay for care and support. Many people arrange and fund their own care (sometimes called “self-funding”), using their income, savings or other resources, and may choose to purchase support directly from providers. Where someone asks the Council for help, a needs assessment and financial assessment will determine whether they meet the eligibility criteria for funded support and, if so, how much they may need to contribute towards the cost.
For Somerset’s communities, adult social care helps people to stay connected to family, friends, work, learning and community activities, and it supports people to remain in their own homes for longer. It also strengthens communities by recognising and building on the assets already around people, families, neighbours, voluntary and community groups, faith communities, and local services, so that support is timely, local and more personalised.
Somerset Council works alongside the NHS, housing, independent and voluntary sector providers and local community networks to provide joined-up support and reduce inequalities in access, experience and outcomes. This means focusing on prevention and early help, supporting unpaid carers, and ensuring that when people do need more formal care and support it is safe, high quality and coordinated.
Adult social care is not a free service in the same way that NHS healthcare is. Local authorities are required to assess both a person’s care needs and their financial circumstances. Where an individual is assessed as being able to afford to contribute towards the cost of their care, they will be required to pay some or all of the charges in line with national legislation and guidance. Financial assessments are carried out fairly and transparently to ensure that people are only asked to pay what they can reasonably afford.
Our Adult Social Care Strategy supports and helps deliver the wider Improving Lives Strategy by translating its ambitions into clear priorities for our adult social care teams, working with partners to improve prevention and early help, independence and wellbeing, and tackling inequalities. Delivery of this contribution will be monitored through the governance arrangements for the Improving Lives Strategy, including oversight by the Somerset Board and the Somerset Adult Social Care Assurance Board.
Our key Adult Social Care Statutory Duties under The Care Act 2014
- Provision of social care: assessment of individuals’ and carers’ needs, provision of detailed care and support plans; duty to meet the needs of someone assessed as eligible for care and support; financial assessments
- Provision of preventative services and information/advice: reducing, preventing, delaying the need for care and support
- Promotion of individual wellbeing
- Promotion of integration between health and social care services including integrated commissioning
- Safeguarding adults at risk and Safeguarding Adults Boards
- Market shaping: quality, choice, sufficiency of provision; provider failure contingencies