Parent carers' needs assessments in Northamptonshire

Step by step

1. Know what the law says

   Section 17ZD of the Children Act 1989 says a council must assess whether a parent carer has needs for support, and what those needs are, if two conditions are met. A parent carer is someone aged 18 or over who provides, or intends to provide, care for a disabled child they have parental responsibility for. The first condition is that it appears to the council that you may have needs for support, or that you ask for an assessment. The second is that the council is satisfied that your disabled child and your family are people it may provide or arrange services for under section 17 of the Act.

2. Ask for an assessment in writing

   Write to children's services at the council for the area where you live and ask for a parent carer's needs assessment. You can say you are asking under section 17ZD of the Children Act 1989. Keep a copy and note the date. You can also ask your child's social worker, if they have one. The Northamptonshire Carers Support Line supports adult carers, young carers and parent carers, and can tell you about local support.

3. If you have had an assessment before

   The council does not have to assess you again if it has already carried out a care-related assessment of you for the same child. But it must assess you if your needs or circumstances, or your child's, have changed since the last one. If things have changed, tell the council what has changed.

4. Be ready to talk about your caring role

   Think before you ask. How does caring affect your health, work, family and time for yourself? What would help? Write it down. The law says the assessment must look at whether it is appropriate for you to provide, or keep providing, care, in the light of your needs for support, your other needs and your wishes. The council must consider your wellbeing and the welfare of your disabled child and any other child you have parental responsibility for. It must involve you, any child you have parental responsibility for, and anyone you ask it to involve.

5. After the assessment

   The council must give you a written record of the assessment, and a copy to anyone you ask it to give one to. In West Northamptonshire, the council says the support a carer receives is developed with the person assessing and written into a support plan. Ask for your plan in writing, ask what support the council will offer, and ask when it will be reviewed.

6. Find support groups now

   Northamptonshire Carers run parent carer support groups in Corby and Kettering, every other month on the 3rd Thursday, 10:30am to 12:30pm. They also run an online wellbeing hub for parent carers on Microsoft Teams on the 1st Thursday of each month, 1pm to 2pm. Their page also lists Parent Carer Voices, the Local Offer, SEND IASS, IPSEA and Contact for families of disabled children. Check the page for the latest dates.