Daily Life

Community care - support for people with sight problems

Summary: What community care means for you - available services and how to get them


Staying independent is very important to people with sight problems, as is getting support when needed. Community care services have been put in place to provide this support. So, if you are having difficulties because of sight problems, here we explain what community care means for you – what you can ask for from social services, what services might be available and how you can get these. As well as a guide to who’s who in social services, there are useful telephone numbers you can use for further information.

What is community care?

Community care, provided by your local council’s social services department, aims to support people with disabilities and other special needs to lead independent lives. For example, an older person with a sight problem might need help with their shopping and adaptations to their home. Someone with a severe disability might need regular support from carers to help them to continue to live at home.

Who is it for?

All sorts of people can be given support by community care. For example:

  • people with disabilities, including blind and partially sighted people
  • older people
  • people with other special needs.

You are entitled to ask your local council for support, whether or not you are registered as blind or partially sighted.

What sort of support can I get?

There is some variation in the amount of support that different councils offer. So it is a good idea to ask your council for information about community care and services for people with sight problems.

Your council should then provide information in a format that is best for you. Tell them if you prefer information in large print, on tape or in braille, or need help because you have difficulty with communication. You may ask for a translation or an interpreter if English is not your first language.

Getting in touch with social services

If you decide to ask social services for support you can get their phone number from RNIB’s Helpline on 0845 766 9999, or from Directory Enquiries, or you will find them in the phone book.

If you feel hesitant about contacting social services yourself, someone else can do this on your behalf. This might be a friend or relative, your doctor, home care worker, or someone from a disability organisation.

What can I ask for?

Ask social services for a community care needs assessment, with input from a worker for blind and partially sighted people. During a community care needs assessment, your local social services should assess your needs as a whole, before deciding what services they might arrange for you.

How long will it take to get an assessment?

Your needs should be assessed within a reasonable time after your request. Your council should tell you the maximum time you would have to wait for an assessment. You could also ask for a copy of the local social services charter.

How can I prepare for the assessment?

Before you meet the social services worker think carefully about any difficulties you are having and the kind of support you might need. This will help you – and the person doing the assessment – to make sure you cover everything.

You could think about the following areas:

  • domestic tasks such as cleaning, cooking and shopping, learning to manage everyday tasks and advice about special equipment and how to make the best of any sight that you have
  • getting around safely indoors and outdoors, advice about accommodation, including any adaptations your home might need to make it suitable for your needs – such as, improved lighting, guide rails, use of contrasting colours
  • advice about communication – such as, using a computer keyboard or cassette recorder or learning braille
  • getting a telephone
  • meals at home or at a suitable centre, perhaps a luncheon club
  • personal care – such as, bathing, cutting your toenails, getting up and going to bed
  • advice about your financial affairs – such as, benefits, and making ends meet
  • advice about your leisure and employment choices
  • advice about taking a break, either for you or for someone looking after you
  • social work support and advice
  • adjusting to your disability, counselling or talking over any personal problems
  • help with transport to and from services.

The needs assessment

During the assessment, all councils should assess your need for support in the following areas:

  • practical help in your home
  • getting a radio or television
  • using library services
  • using leisure and education facilities, including arranging transport
  • aids and adaptations to your home
  • taking a holiday
  • meals in the home or elsewhere – such as at a day centre or luncheon club
  • getting a telephone and any special equipment you need to use it.

Who does the assessment?

The person who does the assessment may be a specially trained rehabilitation worker for blind and partially sighted people, or a social worker that knows the community care system.

What should they take into account?

The worker should look at your circumstances – what you can and cannot do – and at what you could do if you had some support. The worker should look at your needs as a whole, including your health and housing needs. It is important to think about your needs beforehand to get the best out of the assessment.

Anything else you feel is important should be taken into account – such as your home situation, support from friends and relatives, and your preferences. You have the right to have someone with you, who can speak on your behalf, if you wish.

What if I get support from a friend or relative?

If a relative or friend helps to meet some of your needs, they are entitled to ask for a carer’s assessment. The council should also take account of their needs and wishes when deciding what services to arrange. Before the assessment, you should both think about whether you would prefer to talk to the social worker separately or together.

Next steps

Once your needs have been assessed, social services will decide what services might be arranged for you. They can also take their own resources into account at this stage. To then help them decide whether your needs require support from a particular service, they will use guidelines called “eligibility criteria”. You can ask for a copy of these guidelines in your preferred format.

How will social services inform me of their plans?

Based on your assessment, social services will draw up a care plan for you. The plan should state what your needs are and which community care services are to be provided to you, either by social services or other agencies. You can ask for a copy of your plan in your preferred format.

If you are receiving a lot of help, you may be allocated a worker called a care manager or key worker, who will try to make sure that things are running smoothly. Social services are responsible for checking that the services are meeting your needs.

Could I arrange my own support?

Once you have been assessed as needing community care services, social services can consider offering you direct cash payments instead of, or as well as, arranging services for you. Ask them for information about the direct payments scheme.

Payments can be used to purchase community care services (except for permanent residential care) so you can choose how to organise support services to suit your own needs. You can employ someone yourself, or purchase services from a third party, or other agency.

Social services must be sure that you are able to manage direct payments. They should help you to get any support you need – such as with keeping records or managing paperwork. If you employ your own care worker, you might also need advice about meeting your responsibilities as an employer. Social Services should also check regularly that the services are meeting your needs, and that everything is going well.

Direct payments are not treated as taxable income and do not affect your benefits.

Will I have to pay towards services?

Local councils can make a charge for community care services they arrange for you, and in the same way can charge people who receive direct payments.

They should not charge more than you can reasonably afford to pay, and should take into account any extra costs you have because of your sight problems or other disability. You can ask for a review of the charge if you are not happy. Your council cannot withdraw a service because you are unable to pay the charge. They should check that you are receiving your full benefit entitlement. If you receive Disability Living Allowance mobility component, this cannot be taken into account.

What if the council wants to reduce the amount of help I am getting?

The council should not reduce or withdraw a service without reassessing your needs. When you were first assessed, you should have been given a copy of your care plan. Check carefully what the council agreed to arrange for you.

What if my circumstances change?

If your circumstances do change – maybe your friends and relatives are not able to give you as much support as before, or perhaps you have become ill – you should ask for your needs to be reassessed. The council should then decide whether to increase the amount of help you receive.

Making a complaint

If you are not happy with how the council has dealt with you or with the services they have provided, you can complain. Every council has a complaint procedure and must offer you help and support in using this. Ask your council for information about making a complaint. RNIB’s Welfare Rights and Community Care Service can give you advice – contact them on 0845 766 9999.

You may feel reluctant to complain, but don't be put off. Only by hearing people's comments can councils improve their services. Your comments might benefit other blind and partially sighted people.

Most complaints can be dealt with informally, by talking to the person who is responsible for providing the service. However, if you are not satisfied you can make a formal complaint. The council should help you to put your complaint in writing.

If you make a formal complaint, the council must investigate this and provide a written response within 28 days. If you are still not happy, you can ask for your complaint to be put before an independent review panel. To prepare for a review panel, you can ask the council for help in getting access to your social work files and in finding someone to represent you, if necessary.

You can also ask your local councillor for support in making your complaint.

We recommend that you seek expert legal advice if you are still not satisfied and want to take matters further.

Services in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Services in Scotland and Northern Ireland may be organised in a different way. Your local social work department in Scotland, or Health and Social Services Trust in Northern Ireland, will be able to give you information about arrangements for community care services in your area.

You can also visit or contact RNIB's resource centres for advice.

Who's who in Social Services?

These are some of the workers you might come across within social services:

Social worker

Social workers help people with domestic, personal and social problems. They should have a good knowledge of the range of services and help available to you.

Some social workers specialise in work with physically disabled people, or people who are blind and partially sighted. Social workers who are based in a hospital are called medical or hospital social workers.

Rehabilitation workers

Rehabilitation workers help blind and partially sighted people to learn new ways of managing everyday tasks – such as cooking, cleaning, and care of clothing. They can also advise on ways of making the best of any sight you have.

If you have problems with writing, they may help by arranging typing lessons, or teaching you how to use writing aids. They can also teach you how to get around safely in your own home, out of doors, and in unfamiliar surroundings. This may include teaching you how to use a white cane.

Duty worker

In an emergency, or if you are not sure of who to contact, there should be a duty worker at your local social services office. They can take details of your call and make sure that these are passed on to the correct worker.

Care manager

If you need a wide range of services, you may be allocated a care manager or key worker. Their job is to make sure that all the services arranged for you are running smoothly, and try to sort out any problems that arise.

Home care organiser

The home care organiser may arrange for home care workers to help you with basic domestic tasks such as cleaning and shopping. They may also arrange for care assistants to provide help if you have difficulties with getting up, going to bed, and getting washed and dressed.

Occupational therapist

Occupational therapists advise on special equipment or adaptations needed by people who have physical disabilities or difficulties with everyday tasks. Occupational therapists may be based in a social services department, or sometimes in a hospital.

Before telephoning or visiting social services think about what you want to say. If possible make notes of who you speak to, and when.

Sources of help and advice

RNIB Community Care Advocacy Service
105 Judd Street
London. WC1H 9NE

Telephone 020 7388 1266
Email: brit@rnib.org.uk

Your local society for blind and partially sighted people. Details can be obtained from RNIB’s Helpline on 0845 766 9999.

Age Concern England
Astral House
1268 London Road
London SW16 4ER.

Telephone 020 8679 8000

Carers National Association
20 - 25 Glasshouse Yard
London EC1A 4JT.

Telephone 020 7490 8818

Citizens Advice Bureaux

Details of your local branch will be in your local telephone directory.

Return to Community Care homepage.

Content author: moira.routledge@rnib.org.uk

Last updated: 29/09/2006 11:12

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