An adult social care assessment starts with a conversation with you about what your strengths are and what you might need help with. We will ask you if you have any support from the people in your life. This can include friends, family members or support groups. This helps us to understand who you have in your life that might help you to achieve what you want to. We call this your support network.
Understanding your needs
We can help you think about what you might need, for example by:
- understanding your strengths and the things you enjoy, as well as the areas of your life that may be difficult for you. This will include your cultural or spiritual needs.
- supporting you to understand your situation and what you can do to reduce or delay the need for social care support.
- identifying needs that could be reduced or delayed by providing short term support (reablement).
- understanding how you manage throughout the day with practical tasks such as:
- Getting washed: Do you need help with personal hygiene? For example, washing yourself, washing your hair, cleaning your teeth, or washing your clothes.
- Going to the toilet: Do you need help to use the toilet, or with continence? Getting dressed: Are you able to get dressed? This includes dressing appropriately for the weather and selecting clean clothes.
- Being safe at home: Are you safe inside and outside your home? For example, being able to move around your home, including getting on and off a chair or in and out of bed, getting in and out of your home and using appliances such as a kettle and oven safely.
- Eating and drinking: Do you need help to make meals and to eat and drink?
- Getting out and about: Are you able to make use of necessary facilities or services in the local community including public transport and leisure opportunities? Are you struggling to attend activities that you used to enjoy and are important to you?
- Role as a parent: Do you look after a child?
- Maintaining your home: Are you able to do housework, shopping, gardening, routine maintenance and pay bills?
- Work (paid/voluntary) and learning: Are you able to work? Are there any learning opportunities at a local college or community centre that interest you?
- Relationships: Are you able to see or speak to family and friends and discuss if you feel lonely or isolated because of your needs? This can also include thinking about any caring responsibilities that you have.
- Establishing how your needs impact on your daily life and your well-being.
- Understanding the needs of your carer if you have one.
- Understanding what you would like to be able to achieve/ your goals in life.
- Understanding the risks that you face or are likely to face and how to manage them.
The next stage
Stage 2: How do we decide on your assessed needs?
Related information
What is an Adult Social Care Assessment?
How do we complete your care and support plan?
Page last updated: 06 Oct 2023