Changes to care and support in Wales

What matters to you matters to us in Denbighshire. We want to help you to live the life you choose, and stay independent for longer.

In April 2016 the Social Services and Wellbeing (Wales) Act (external website) came into law and replaced many previous laws. It changes how councils and care services work. It now places a joint responsibility on you, and your Local Authority Social Services Department to deliver outcomes that are important to you.

The approach to assessment and eligibility is changing, we start with you.

What does this mean?

Anyone who believes they have care and support needs can contact their Local Authority. This is regardless of the level of need or their financial resources. Information, Advice and Assistance will be provided. More preventative services will be offered to support you to achieve your own wellbeing and help avoid your needs increasing.

How will we do this?

As part of your care and support planning, we will have a conversation with you to find out what matters most to you now and in the future to keep you healthy and safe.

Instead of asking ‘what is the matter with you?’ we will ask ‘what matters to you?’ so we can find out what’s important to you. We want to have the right conversation with you so we can find the right solution with you.

Our first conversation with you could be face to face, on the phone, digitally or by post. If the conversation is on the phone, you would speak to someone in the Single Point of Access. A face to face conversation would be held in a Talking Point. If we receive contact digitally or by post an operator from the Single Point of Access will contact you.

Together, we will discuss what is going well in your life now, and not so well. We will ask you how you want your life to be and what you want to achieve. We will identify what strengths and/or resources you have available to you. We will talk about the people around you and in your community. They may be able and willing to help you overcome barriers and achieve what matters to you.

We focus on your wellbeing and quality of life. We talk to you about:

Your personal circumstances
Your personal outcomes
Barriers to achieving those outcomes
Risks to meeting personal outcomes
Your personal strengths and capabilities

Under the new Act, a need can only be met by the Local Authority if it cannot be met in any other way. There are four conditions that you need to meet to be eligible.

For the majority of individuals who contact the local authority because of concerns about their wellbeing, a range of community based options, reablement services, equipment or short term support can usually satisfactorily meet their needs and prevent the need for a long term Care and Support Plan.

What is reablement and short term support?

Reablement is what we call short term support which is designed to give you the confidence to manage as many tasks as possible on your own, rather than having other people doing them for you. We also have skilled Support Workers who could support you short term in various aspects of your life. It could also be that you just need a piece of Equipment or Housing Adaptations to help you to move around your house and continue doing personal tasks independently without any additional support.

Supporting your independence

Everyone in Wales has a right to wellbeing and has a responsibility for their own wellbeing. t is important for you to have a voice, be in control and make decisions about your life. Under the new Act, everyone must seek to promote the wellbeing of those who need care and support.

Some people need help to achieve this, for example if you:

Are frail,
Are an older person,
Are a carer,
Have a physical or learning disability,
Have a mental health issue, or
Another condition such as Autism or an acquired brain injury.

Managed care and support

In circumstances where you need longer term care and support, options will be discussed with you and your Lead Assessor. Once a Care and Support Plan is agreed, you are likely then receive a Support Budget to meet the agreed outcomes in your plan.

The use of a Support Budget will only be considered for those individuals whose social care outcomes can only be met by the use of local authority funding.

If you would like more information or advice, you can visit a Talking Point or contact the Single Point of Access.