Parent-carer needs assessment
A parent-carer needs assessment helps determine the support needs of a parent-carer.
You may request a parent-carer needs assessment if you:
- Are a parent or carer looking after a child under 18 with disabilities or additional needs
- Have parental responsibility for the child
Parental responsibility includes:
- Birth parents
- Adoptive parents
- Relatives with legal responsibility
What is a parent-carer?
A parent-carer is a parent of a child whose disabilities or additional needs mean that their caring responsibilities are different from other parents. Parent-carers have separate needs from their children. They have a right to have their needs assessed under the Children and Families Act 2014.
What does the assessment do?
The assessment allows you to discuss your caring role, including:
- Things that could make caring more manageable for you alongside gaining an understanding of how your caring impacts your wellbeing
- Your feelings and choices about caringÂ
- Finding out what help, information, and support is available to support you as a carer of a child or young person with additional needs or disabilities
How can I complete the assessment?
The approach to completing a parent-carer needs assessment is flexible. You can complete the online form:
- Independently (by yourself)
- With a practitioner on the phone by contacting Southampton Children’s Resource Service
- With a professional that knows you best, in your home
If your child has an allocated social worker or family practitioner, you may wish to contact them to complete the assessment with them. Your parent-carer needs can also be assessed holistically as part of a S17 assessment or Family Help assessment. If you require support completing this online, you may complete it with a person who knows you best.
What happens after I complete the assessment?
We will contact you within three working days to confirm that we have received your assessment. We may ask additional questions about your circumstances if these are unclear from the assessment.
Once the assessment is completed, the entire process will take no more than 45 working days. This may result in further recommendations or signposting.
Where can I find out more about the assessment?
More information can be found at special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) information for parents and carers. If you have any questions in the meantime, please contact the Children's Resource Service.
Submit a parent-carer needs assessment
Please use the following form to submit a parent-carer needs assessment:
Before you fill in this form
You won't be able to save this form to complete later, so please allow yourself up to five minutes to fill in the form.
