Adult Carer Support Plans
Adult Carer Support Plans and Young Carer Statements were introduced by the Carers (Scotland) Act 2016. If you are a carer for someone with a disability, mental health condition, who is affected by substance misuse or is elderly and struggling with day to day living, you have a legal right to have an Adult Carer Support Plans or Young Carer Statement.
An Adult Carer Support Plan or Young Carer Statement (which is the same as an adult carer assessment but easier to understand) is completed with a worker who may come from a carer organisation or who may work for the council. It should be someone who knows a bit about your situation and someone you feel comfortable with. The worker will have a conversation with you to understand what being a carer means for you, and to think about what things may be helpful to you. It’s important that they explore if you feel able to continue caring or indeed that you’re willing to. They will then put together a plan and make sure you agree with it. They will check in with you regularly to make sure the plan is right for you and that the support you receive as a result is helping you to feel supported and able to continue caring.
The types of support that an Adult Carer Support Plan or Young Carer Statement can lead to depends on your conversation with the worker. If you do a lot of caring you may feel you need access to a short break or, if you need to get better understanding of the condition of the person you care for, you may feel training would be helpful. You may feel you’d like to join a group for carers in a similar position or you may need some help with benefits and income maximisation. All of these things can be accessed through the Adult Carer Support Plan or Young Carer Statement.
This short video clip will tell you more about the process involved in Adult Carer Support Plans: