Carer's assessment

Carer's pre-assessment

A pre-assessment is a conversation with Help & Care, Dorset Carer Service, who provide this service on behalf of Dorset Council. They will ensure you feel heard, supported and valued in your caring role. The Dorset Carer Service advisors will take their time to understand you - not just your situation. They will explain what you are entitled to as an unpaid carer, including other services for you and the person you care for. They will focus on your health and wellbeing needs, with direct access to a range of support which may include their Health and Wellbeing Coaching Service, peer support groups social prescribing. If you want a Carer Assessment and it's the right time for you, they will make a referral on your behalf to Dorset Council. Call them 0303 303 0153 Monday to Friday 9:30 am to 4:30 pm or email: [email protected].

We recommend having a carers pre-assessment with Help & Care, Dorset Carer Service before requesting a Carer's assessment to ensure you have accessed all the support available to you before formal assessment.

As a carer, you are entitled to have a free carer's assessment as part of the Care Act 2014. We can provide this if you are caring for someone who lives in the Dorset Council area.

It's not about how well you are caring. It’s about what support you need to help you stay well and continue to have a life that meets your needs outside of your caring role.

The carer’s assessment will:

look at your caring role
try to find ways to help you improve your health and wellbeing
establish your eligibility for support

What it's like having a carer's assessment with us

What our carers said:

"It was like having a really good chat with someone who asked all the right questions"

"It highlighted that I needed to find time to do things for myself........follow-up and access to information were good"

"It brought my needs to the forefront which I had probably been ignoring until I spoke to you"

"I'd recommend to other people - don't hesitate"

"It highlights your own needs and what support is available that perhaps you hadn't thought about"

"They held our hand and guided us in the right direction to find what facilities and services were available to us"

What if you don't feel ready for an assessment?

If you do not feel ready for a carer’s assessment, get in touch with Help & Care by phone or email, or visit Bridgit which offers an online service. They both provide lots of support, information and a wide range of services.

Who can have a carer’s assessment?

A carer’s assessment is available:

to people who care for others, whether or not that person gets care or financial support from the council
whether you live with the person you are caring for or not
to any carer, regardless of how much support you provide

If the person you care for hasn't yet had a Care Act assessment, a joint assessment for both of you can be completed at the same time.

See our Eligibility and Assessment of the Carer Policy.

What the carer’s assessment will cover

The assessment is most beneficial when you are looking to improve your situation or change something.

Your assessment will focus on the impact that caring has on you and should cover:

your caring role and how it affects your life and wellbeing
your physical, mental, and emotional health
your feelings and choices about caring
your personal time such as, work, study, training, and leisure
relationships, social activities, and your goals
housing
planning for emergencies

Your assessment can offer you specific advice and tell you about services and support that are available.

What could I get from a carer assessment?

A Carer Assessment could result in information, advice and guidance, or services for example counselling or funding such a direct payment to meet your needs. A Short Break Service may also be accessed from a Carer Assessment for those with eligible needs, which provides a care assistant to spend time for the person you care for for up to 20 hours a quarter.

The person I care for needs more support

We recommend reading this information to find out what's available.

Choose how to access your carer's assessment

There are three ways to access a carer's assessment:

If you are unsure, have a conversation with Help & Care on 0303 303 0153 to talk about what an assessment could do for you.
Complete an online form to start the assessment process, using the Bridgit interactive tool.
Contact us direct to request an assessment in person or over the phone.

You can choose whichever way feels right for you.