An adult assessment of need (by the Adult Social Care team) can be requested at any point, there is no need to wait until the young person’s 18th birthday; it is easier if a child’s assessment of need has already been done, but this is not essential. If the child already has contact with a social worker, this should happen automatically.
This is a critical step, the outcome of which is:
- Eligibility: The assessment determines if you are eligible for support from North Yorkshire.
- Care Plan: If eligible, North Yorkshire can then suggest or arrange a support plan.
- Support Options: This could mean receiving services such as care packages, equipment, or direct payments to choose and pay for services directly eg a Personal Assistant or activities to meet the needs set out in the Care Plan eg leisure, sport
Check here for eligibility and to request an assessment.
A financial assessment then follows, to determine the extent of the financial support needed to pay for the identified care in the care plan.
A carer assessment is available to support those who support the young person or adult, whether they are related or not. It will consider:
- the role of the carer and the impact it has on the individual
- ways in which health and wellbeing can be improved
- whether the carer is eligible for support
Check here for eligibility and to request an assessment.
Support for young carers or young adult carers includes:
The Sibling Group (part of Oscar’s Pathway) runs groups for 4-11yrs and 11-16yrs (contact hannah@thesiblinggroup.org)
Carers’ resource who have dedicated provision for young/young adult carers
Expert Self Care’s new app for young carers
Carers Card UK is available to all carers in card form with accompanying card for the caree. It confirms the ID and emergency contact numbers for the carer, and gives access to wellbeing advice and discounts via the accompanying app. Cost is £8 for two years.
Sourcing and keeping high quality paid carers and personal assistants is often based on the recommendation of others. Local providers include:
Housing options
The choices that young people with a Learning Disability and/or Autism make about how and where they live can be divided into the following categories:
- Living at home with the family
This may involve an element of (increasing) independence eg the young person’s own living space within the family home.
- Living with a different family for some/all of the time
Shared Lives schemes match someone who needs care with an approved carer. The carer shares their family and community life, and gives care and support to the person with care needs. Some people will move in with their carer while others will be regular day time or overnight visitors. North Yorkshire’s Shared Lives team can be contacted on northyorkshiresharedlives@pss.org.uk
- Living in a residential setting
Local options specialising in learning disability and/or Autism for younger adults can be accessed here.
- Living in a private property (with support)
These can be sourced in the usual ways via local Estate Agents and on line property platforms. This article from Learning Disability England outlines the financial pros and cons of this option.
- Living in Local Authority Social Housing (with support)
It is necessary for the young person to complete the on line application form to be added to the register. Supply is limited and waiting lists are long.
- Living in a Supported living setting, usually run by a Charity/Housing Association
Some local options include:
- Disability Action Yorkshire
- Harrogate Skills For Living
- Integracare
- Ivolve Care
- Priory
- Wilf Ward Family Trust
Most young people will need some care, either from carers who work full time in that setting or from carers who visit the property to support their independence. The extent to which this is required is identified during the Social Care Assessment of Need. How to pay for the necessary care is the subject of the Local Authority Financial Assessment. Having more than £6000 in savings will mean a reduction in Universal Credit/Housing benefit, but not Personal Independence Payments, as these are not means tested (see Legal and Financial section).
Housing benefit may be accessed to pay for some/all of the rent on a property; if parents/carers purchase a property for their child to rent from them, it is wise to take financial advice in order to avoid limiting the eligibility for housing benefit.
Individual and family circumstances dictate whether or not the young person is best suited to living nearby the family home or whether the best place to meet their needs is further afield. There is no requirement for the young person to move into accommodation near to the family home.
Travel
Travel training is no longer provided by North Yorkshire but can be included in the young person’s EHCP and provided by schools/colleges.
The Blue Badge scheme application details are here; eligibility is partly determined by the level of PIP awarded. £10 is required to apply, which is refunded if the application is successful.
A Disabled person’s bus pass gives free off-peak bus travel on local services anywhere in England. It will be either with or without a companion, depending on the young person’s level of need.
A Disabled person’s rail card entitles the traveller to around a third reduction in the ticket price for them and for a companion traveller. Entitlement is based on receiving the daily living or mobility element of PIP.
The Motability Scheme is available to those with the higher rate (or ‘enhanced’) of mobility allowance in PIP or DLA. There are also Mobility Foundation individual grants for other travel related help, mostly for those who do not qualify for the Motability scheme.
There is a vehicle tax discount or exemption for those receiving any rate of the mobility element of PIP. For young people who want to learn to drive, useful information can be found here at Driving Mobility.
Utilities
Water: Yorkshire Water’s water support is available and priority services are available for water and energy supplies.
Check eligibility for warm home discount here.
Council Tax exemption applies; application is here
Healthy eating
Mencap’s Healthier Me project has a downloadable pdf with Easy Read information and shopping and cooking guides and the NHS’s Learning Disability Team has a similar resource.
Harrogate Skills for Living are starting a monthly shopping/cooking guide, focusing on healthy, affordable and seasonal eating. Sign up for our newsletter or call into the Harrogate Chocolate Café to pick up your discounted shopping/recipe guide (laminated for messy cooks!) These will be accompanied by videos of people cooking the recipes; if anyone is interested in sharing their cooking skills in a video, email ruth@hs4lc.org.uk.