Social Care - What do they do?

What do they do?
 

In a Scottish local authority, a social care team (often integrated within a Health and Social Care Partnership) plays a crucial role in providing support and services to individuals, families, and communities. Their primary aim is to promote independence, improve quality of life, and ensure people have the necessary assistance to live safely and well in their own homes or in homely settings.
Here's a breakdown of what a social care team generally does:

Assessment and Care Planning:

• Assessing Needs: They conduct comprehensive assessments of individuals who appear to need social care services (e.g., elderly, disabled, those with long-term health conditions, mental health issues, or those at risk of harm). This involves understanding their physical, psychological, social, and practical needs, as well as their preferences and desired outcomes.
• Care Planning: Based on the assessment, they develop personalized care plans. These plans outline the specific support and services required to meet the individual's needs, often with a focus on maximizing independence and promoting well-being.
• Self-Directed Support: A key aspect of care planning in Scotland is Self-directed Support, which empowers individuals to make informed choices about how their support is delivered. This can involve:
  • Receiving a direct payment to arrange their own care.
  • Choosing a care organization, with the local authority arranging the support.
  • The local authority both deciding and arranging support after discussion with the individual.
  • A mixture of these approaches.

Providing a Range of Social Care Services:

Social care teams facilitate access to and sometimes directly provide a wide array of services, including:

• Care at Home: Assistance with personal care (e.g., bathing, dressing), domestic tasks, meal preparation, and medication support to enable people to remain in their own homes.
• Care Homes: Arranging placements in residential care for those who require more intensive support or cannot live safely at home.
• Day Care: Providing structured activities and support during the day to promote social interaction and reduce isolation.
• Community Alarms and Telecare: Technology-based solutions to provide reassurance and immediate help in emergencies.
• Support for Carers: Assessing the needs of unpaid carers and providing support, advice, and access to services to help them in their caring role and maintain their own well-being.
• Mental Health Support: Providing social care support for individuals with mental health needs, often in collaboration with health professionals.
• Adult Support and Protection: Protecting adults who are unable to safeguard their own interests and are at risk of harm due to disability, mental disorder, illness, or physical or mental infirmity. This involves carrying out enquiries and developing protection plans.
• Adults with Incapacity: Implementing legal frameworks (like the Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000) to safeguard the welfare and finances of adults who lack capacity to make decisions for themselves. This can involve roles like welfare guardianships.
• Children and Families Services: While often a distinct team, social care also encompasses services for children and families, including child protection, fostering, adoption, and support for looked-after children.
• Criminal Justice Social Work: Working with offenders to promote rehabilitation and reduce reoffending.

Partnership Working:

• Health and Social Care Integration: In Scotland, health and social care services are integrated into partnerships (Integration Joint Boards).Social care teams work closely with NHS boards and other partners to ensure seamless and coordinated care.
• Multi-agency Collaboration: They collaborate with a wide range of organizations, including health professionals, housing associations, voluntary sector organizations, and independent care providers, to ensure individuals receive holistic support.

Statutory Duties and Legislation:

• Social care teams operate within a robust legal framework, including the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968, the Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Act 2007, the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003, and the Social Care (Self-directed Support) (Scotland) Act 2013, among others.
• The Chief Social Work Officer (CSWO) in each local authority has a statutory role in leading and overseeing the delivery of high-quality social work services and ensuring adherence to professional standards and legislation.

In essence, a social care team in a Scottish local authority aims to provide person-centred support that empowers individuals to live as independently and safely as possible, addressing their diverse needs and ensuring their rights and well-being are protected.