The current Parent Carer Assessment pathway has been in operation for a number of years and has evolved, not from a formal process / procedure, but on a reactive basis depending upon the request.
The purpose of the consultation was to invite feedback on the proposed new pathway, renaming of the assessment, the questionnaire for the new pathway and the outcomes to provide support.
The consultation was aimed at the general public, the recipients of the parent carer assessment and any parent that may be affected by the proposed changes, this included professionals/organisations working with parent carers, business or community representatives and other local authorities.
The consultation received 61 responses. 3 direct emails were received in addition to the consultation respondents (similar themes were echoed).
The majority of respondents to the survey were parent carers.
Fewer responses were received from North Warwickshire and Rugby and over half of the respondents had heard about the current Parent Carer Assessment.
Around 40% either strongly agreed or agreed with the proposed name change. Just over half respondents indicated they thought the proposed pathway was easy to understand
Preferences for finding out about support for parent carers were strongest for direct from WCC Website and other organisations/charities. Other suggestions included Health, Education.
Comments indicated that there needs to be a more proactive approach to promoting parent carer wellbeing
Half of the respondents thought it was clear who could request a Wellbeing Conversation
Over half of the respondents either strongly agreed or agreed that the new process would enable parent carers to make contact easily and that the Wellbeing Conversation would enable parent carers to communicate their support needs
Levels of support for the proposed outcomes of the Wellbeing Conversation were generally high. There was also high support for placing no restrictions on the number of times the Wellbeing Conversation can be accessed
The role of skilled practitioners was considered crucial to the success of the new pathway.
A full report on findigns was included in the report to Warwickshire County Cabinet. Please click on this link to read this report.
As a result of the consultation, the following work has been undertaken to implement the new pathway and wasit will be launched on 27th January 2021:
The name will change to the Parent Carer Support Pathway and the Wellbeing Conversation will be formally launched
Web pages have been constructed as an information portal for the new pathway
Parent carers can access the Children with Disabilities team directly via telephone, email or an online enquiry form (via the web pages).
A duty team will manage all enquiries regarding the Parent Carer Support Pathway
Practitioners within the Children with Disabilities team have been trained to use the new Wellbeing Conversation for the new Parent Carer Support Pathway
The new outcomes have started to be implemented and will formally launch on 27th Jan 2021
There will be a series of communications shared on Facebook and Twitter to promote the launch and increase awareness of the new Parent Carer Support Pathway
Communications will also be sent to education and health providers to raise their awareness of the service and the new pathway and to ensure that they sign post any parent carers to the correct information
The Local SEND Offer is currently being reviewed and there are workshops where the new pathway is being highlighted. The links to the Parent Carer Support Pathway web pages will be available on the Local SEND offer pages. Please click on this link to go to the local SEND offer web page.
The Parent Carer Support Pathway was launched as described above on January 27th 2021. Please click on this link to go to the Warwickshire County Council web information on the pathway.
A report on this proposal was considered by Warwickshire County Council Cabinet on 14th May 2020. This included feedback on the consultation. Cabinet authorised the Strategic Director for People to implement the new Parent Carer Assessment Pathway as set out in the report. For more information and to read the meeting papers please click on this link to the Warwickshire County Council Democracy web page for this Cabinet meeting.
The new Parent Carer Support Pathway launched on 27th January 2021. For more information please click on this link,
Warwickshire County Council has a duty to ensure the needs of Parent Carers with a disabled child, are assessed and supported.
If you are a parent carer of a child (0-18) with a disability and have parental responsibility, you have the right to request a parent carer needs assessment and Warwickshire County Council has a statutory obligation to complete this assessment. The assessment considers your needs as a parent carer, your wellbeing and things that could make looking after your child easier.
The current Parent Carer Assessment pathway has been in operation for a number of years and has evolved, not from a formal process / procedure, but on a reactive basis depending upon the request.
As part of a review we have considered feedback from a survey of parent carers, reviewed the current process in detail with representatives from Children and Families social care practitioners and SENDIAS, and engaged with the parent carer forum. We have also considered the processes to support adult carers as this will help to align (where possible) the Parent Carer Support Pathway with the Adult Carers pathway. This will ensure that when young people transition into adult services the Parent Carers receive a seamless service.
Currently, outcomes from assessments are restricted to a financial award only, omitting any tailored support that may be beneficial to parent carers needs. In addition, the nature of the assessment itself has led to families being assessed through a formal social care assessment which people tell us is not always appropriate.
Information available for parents to research a Parent Carer Assessment on Warwickshire County Council’s offer has been limited and difficult to find. We are proposing that there will be information on the Warwickshire website to navigate parents through the application process. There will also be the opportunity to make an online application or request a practitioner to make contact. In addition, Customer Services at Warwickshire County Council will receive calls and pass you onto the appropriate practitioner to assist with an enquiry or to conduct a Wellbeing Conversation.
Feedback on the current process has been gathered from practitioners, parents and partners which has clearly indicated the issues that need to be addressed. It is this feedback that has helped to shape the proposal which we are sharing as the foundation for this consultation.
What are we proposing?
The proposal is to move away from an Assessment process to one that is based on a Wellbeing Conversation that meets need with targeted and focused support.
We are proposing that the name changes from Parent Carer Assessment to Parent Carer Support Pathway which is conducted using a Carers Wellbeing Conversation (see supporting documents).
Currently, requests are made through MASH (Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub) and this can begin a pathway of up to fourteen steps. Our new proposal has a maximum of 5 steps and there is direct access to the team that will be conducting the Wellbeing Conversation.
In some cases, Social Care assessments (Section 17) may still be identified as appropriate, but a more holistic approach is being considered to ensure that all the family’s needs are met. This will allow the focus to move away from the sense of having to meet a threshold and move towards a guided ‘Wellbeing Conversation’
The application form that the assessment was based on was very long and did not provide a robust framework of assessment. Most applications also resulted in a full social care assessment that hadn’t been requested. The new questionnaire provides a guided Wellbeing Conversation that takes a holistic view of carers and enables the practitioner to identify areas where support can be provided.
The outcomes have always resulted in a financial award only and how this could be spent is unclear. The proposal for outcomes will follow a tiered approach. There are separate levels of support proposed, that can be combined if required, to ensure all parent carer needs are met. Firstly, signposting to a suitable organisation, support group or specialist service will be explored. Secondly, a one-off payment will be considered for a specific service, activity or piece of equipment in order to assist a carer and resolve an area of difficulty. Thirdly, if the Wellbeing Conversation identifies a full social care assessment is required to support the family, this can then be conducted (this would not be exclusive to but in addition to other tiered support).
We are asking for feedback on:
Please read the Frequently Asked Questions at the bottom of this page for answers to common questions. These will be regularly updated.
Anyone who is interested can respond to this consultation including but not limited to the general public, current recipients of the Parent Carer Assessment, any parent that that may be affected by this change now or in the future, professionals / organisations working with parent carers, business and community representatives and other local authorities.
Feedback will be fully considered in finalising a revised Parent Carers Support Pathway.
We aim to implement changes to the Parent Carer Assessment, renaming it Parent Carer Support Pathway, from June 2020. The consultation is taking place now to allow enough time to consider feedback before making any changes.
Supporting Information
The following information has been supplied below to enable you to consider your response:
Frequently asked questions
Equality Impact Assessment
Carers Wellbeing Conversation (draft questions)
Parent Carers Assessment Questionnaire feedback
How to take part
We welcome your comments on any of the proposed changes to the Parent Carer Assessment. You can feedback in the following ways:
Complete the survey below.
Request a paper copy of the survey by telephone (01926 415106) or email parentcarerconsult@warwickshire.gov.uk and return it to the postal address below. You can also request an alternative format or language this way.
Feed back to us directly: By email to parentcarerconsult@warwickshire.gov.uk or in writing to Children with Disabilities Team (Consultation), Warwickshire County Council, Saltisford Building 1, Ansell Way, Warwick, Warwickshire, CV34 4UL
Attend a drop in session. The sessions will include a short presentation, followed by a brief Q&A session. Please see details below. Details can also be requested by phone / email.
This consultation has now closed. Thank you to everyone who took the time to share your views.
We will collate and analyse the responses and these will be used to assess the suitability of the proposed changes to the Parent Carer Support Pathway. Our recommendations will be considered by Warwickshire County Council Cabinet.
Information will be posted on this webpage.
If agreed we aim to implement any changes to the Parent Carer Support Pathway from June 2020.
Warwick Racecourse - 1707 Suite.
The session will include a short presentation, followed by a brief Q&A session.
A Map is available at the bottom of this webpage.
Warwick Racecourse - 1707 Suite
The session will include a short presentation, followed by a brief Q&A session.
A Map is available at the bottom of this webpage.
The Chess centre, Nuneaton
460 Cedar Rd, Nuneaton CV10 9DN
The session will include a short presentation, followed by a brief Q&A session.
The Chess centre, Nuneaton.
460 Cedar Rd, Nuneaton CV10 9DN
The session will include a short presentation, followed by a brief Q&A session.
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