Assessing your needs

If you are finding it difficult to cope independently, you can ask Social Services for help. A worker from Social Services will arrange to meet you to find out more about your needs and situations. This is called a ‘community care assessment'; and is usually done within you own home. We will gather information about you, listen carefully to your views, and respect your wishes about confidentiality. After this, we will make a decision on which of your needs we can meet and discuss with you the services we may be able to provide to meet your needs.

Deciding your eligibility in Waltham Forest

We use eligibility criteria to make sure that services are provided fairly to support those people who need them most. The Department of Health has developed an eligibility criteria framework for all Social Services Departments to use when deciding who can get services from Social Services. This framework is called “Fair Access to Care Services” and is based on an individuals’ needs and the risk these pose to their ability to stay independent.

The risks to your independence are split into four bands:

  • Critical risk to independence
  • Substantial risk to independence
  • Moderate risk to independence
  • Low risk to independence.

In general when we provide an assessment we will look ahead up to six months to see if your situation is likely to change, as well as thinking about the risks you are facing at the moment.

  • Waltham Forest Social Services, like almost all other Social Services in London, provide funded community care services for Critical and Substantial risks only.
  • Waltham Forest can also provide short-term services (for 7 weeks or less) to stabilise risks that are Moderate now but might otherwise increase and become Substantial or Critical.
  • Apart from the above, if risks are assessed as Moderate or Low, these will not be eligible for funded services.
  • If we cannot provide a funded service we will still try to help you address these risks by providing advice and information about other sources of support.

What the risk bandings mean

The Critical band

This band includes all risks that may either threaten life or result in serious harm to you or those around you if you do not receive social care help. This includes things such as:

  • Health and safety
    • There could be a serious risk to life if no social care is provided
    • Health problems could develop or become worse which will result in a serious risk to life if no social care is provided
    • Neglect or physical or mental abuse has or may happen which could result in serious harm or a risk to life
  • Independence
    • There will be reduced or no choice or control over immediate surroundings which may result in a serious risk to life
    • Specific personal care or domestic needs will not be completed which will result in a serious risk to life
  • Social and family inclusion
    • Without help vital work, education and social needs will not be met resulting in a serious risk to life
    • Family and social relationships vital to health will not be maintained resulting in a serious risk to life

The Substantial band

This band includes all risks that may severely reduce or limit independence and, without assistance, result in a risk of harm or injury to the person or others around them. This band includes things such as:

  • Health and safety
    • There could be a high risk to life or health due to neglect or abuse
  • Independence
    • The person will not be able to make a choice or influence their surroundings which may result in high risk to their life or health
    • Many of their personal care or domestic needs will not be met which may result in a high risk to life or overall health
  • Social and family inclusion
    • Many areas or work, education or social needs will not be able to be met resulting in exclusion and high risk to life or health
    • Many family or social relationships important to the persons health will not be maintained resulting in high risk to life or health

The Moderate band

This band includes all risks that may reduce your quality of life, reduce your independence or be of some risk to your health. This includes things such as:

  • Health and safety
    • There are some health or impairment issues which could result in some risk to health
  • Independence
    • You will not be able to have a choice or influence a number of aspects of their surroundings which will result in some risk to health
    • You may be unable to carry out some personal care or domestic needs which will result in some risk to health
  • Social and family inclusion
    • Some areas of work, education and social needs will not be met resulting in some risk to health
    • Some areas of family and social relationships important to your health will not be maintained resulting in some risk to health

The Low band

This band includes all health, mobility and impairment needs where there are no immediate risks to health. This includes things such as:

  • Health and safety
    • There are some health or impairment issues which could result in low risk to health
  • Independence
    • You will not be able to have a choice or influence one or two aspects of your surroundings which will result in low risk to health
    • You may be unable to carry out some personal care or domestic needs which will result in low risk to health
  • Social and family inclusion
    • One or two areas of work, education and social needs will not be met resulting in low risk to health
    • One or two areas of family and social relationships important to the persons health will not be maintained resulting in low risk to health

If following your assessment of need you fall into the critical or substantial banding you will be eligible for care services to meet those needs that the local authority are responsible for.

Contact us

You can contact us by: