The short film below is a useful jargon buster that explains some of the words and phrases used in adult social care. Alternatively, you can use the list of terms and acronyms below the video. We try to keep them to a minimum, however you may find these terms in documentation.
A | B | C | D | E | F | H | I | J | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | Y
Care and support for people over 18 who need extra help to manage their lives and be independent. This includes older people, people with a disability or long-term illness, and people with mental health problems. It also includes carers. Adult social care includes:
- assessment of your needs
- provision of services, or
- allocation of funds to enable you to purchase your own care and support
It includes residential care, and support to help you live in your own home. This can involve personal assistants, activities in the community, equipment, and personal budgets. Visit our Adult Social Care page to find out more.
Help to enable you to get the care and support you need, that is independent of your local council. An advocate can help you express your needs and wishes and weigh up and take decisions about the options available to you. They can help you find services, make sure correct procedures are followed. They can also help you challenge decisions made by councils or other organisations. If necessary, the advocate is there to represent your interests, which they can do by supporting you to speak, or by speaking on your behalf. They do not speak for the council or any other organisation. If you wish to speak up for yourself to make your needs and wishes heard, this is known as self-advocacy. Visit our Advocacy page to find out more.
Aids and adaptations
Help to make things easier for you around the home. If you are struggling or disabled, you may need special equipment to enable you to live more comfortably and independently. You may also need changes to your home to make it easier and safer to get around. Aids and adaptations include things like grab rails, ramps, walk-in showers and stair-lifts. Visit our Living well at home page to find out more.
ASCOF - Adult Social Care Outcomes Framework
The Department of Health in England uses this to measure how well all local care and support services are doing. They have indicators and standards to ensure we are helping local people achieve the outcomes that matter most to them. It should help councils improve the services they offer.
Assessment (or needs assessment)
The process of considering whether a person needs help or support because of age, disability or illness. Anyone who appears to have a need for care or support is entitled to a needs assessment. It doesn't matter how severe their needs are or how much money they have. You can request an assessment.
A brokerage service finds information about service providers and other resources. For example, agencies that provide help with personal care and activities of daily living.
A Broker can:
- find service providers who can meet your needs and choices
- give information about service providers. (This can include the cost of the service, how to register, star ratings or whether the provider can meet your specific preferences)
- arrange the service for you if you have a personal budget and have had your support plan agreed by your social worker
- give information about different types of support available. This can be from the statutory, independent and voluntary sectors
- give information about a range of different services, including day activities, home care or care homes
The ability to make your own choices and decisions. In order to do this, you need to be able to understand and remember information and communicate clearly what you have decided (this can be verbally or non-verbally). A person may lack capacity because of a mental health, dementia, learning disability or some kind of brain injury.
Capacity to consent
‘Consent’ is when you give your permission to someone to do something to you or for you. ‘Capacity’ is your ability to understand what you are being asked to decide, to make a decision and to communicate that decision to people around you. Mental capacity can vary over time. If you have capacity to consent, then you understand what you are being asked to agree to, and you are able to let people know whether you agree. See also informed consent.
Care Act 2014
The Care Act 2014 is the law for adult social care in England which sets out how adults with care and support needs should be supported.
Care and Support Plan / Support Plan
A Care and Support plan (or Support plan for carers) is written after you have had an assessment. It sets out what your care and support needs are, how they will be met (including what you or anyone who cares for you will do) and what services you will receive. You should have the opportunity to be fully involved in the plan and to say what your own priorities are. If you are in a care home or attend a day service, the plan for your daily care may also be called a care plan. You can request an assessment.
Care worker
A person who is paid to support someone who is ill, struggling or disabled, and could not manage without this help.
Carer
A person who provides unpaid support to someone who is ill, struggling or disabled and could not manage without this help. this could be a partner, family member, friend or neighbour. A carer is different from a care worker, who is paid to support people. Visit Carers pages to find out more.
Carer’s assessment
If you are an unpaid carer for a family member or friend, you have the right to discuss with your local council what your own needs are. This is separate to the needs of the person you care for. You can discuss anything that you think would help you with your own health or with managing other aspects of your life. The council uses this information to decide what help it can offer you. Visit our Carers Assessment page for more information.
Case Coordinator
Case coordinators manage the care of people who get help from government programs or other social services. They help clients access the things they need to live healthy, productive lives. They will coordinate their care with a variety of different service providers.
Case coordinators may work directly with clients to ensure that they’re getting the support they need. They may also coordinate between clients and service providers. They will make sure everyone is on the same page about what needs to be done and when it needs to be done by.
Case Manager
Case management is a generic term, with no single definition. It has been described as ‘the process of planning, coordinating and reviewing the care of an individual’
CHC - Continuing Health Care
Ongoing care outside hospital for someone who is ill or disabled, arranged and funded by the NHS. This type of care can be provided anywhere and can include the full cost of a place in a nursing home. It is provided when your need for day to day support is primarily due to your need for health care, rather than social care. The Government has issued guidance to the NHS on how people should be assessed for continuing health care, and who is entitled to receive it.
Circle of Support
A group of people who come together regularly to help a person achieve their goals. The person themselves is in charge of deciding who to invite to be in the circle. The circle may include relatives and friends and are (usually) not paid to be in a person’s life
Client contribution
The amount you may need to pay towards the cost of the social care services you receive. Whether you need to pay, and the amount you need to pay, depends on your local council’s charging policy. Residential care charges are set nationally - councils receive guidance from the Government on how much they can charge for other costs. Visit our Paying for Care page for more information.
Commissioner
A person or organisation that plans the services that are needed by the people who live in the area the organisation covers.They also ensure that services are available. Sometimes the commissioner will pay for services, but not always. Your local council is the commissioner for adult social care. NHS care is commissioned separately by the local Integrated Care Board. In many areas health and social care commissioners’ work together to make sure that the right services are in place for the local population. Visit our Commissioning pages for more information.
Consultation
An opportunity to share what you think about a particular service or proposed change, before any final decisions are taken. Your local council, NHS and organisations that provide services may consult you before making a change that will affect you. You may be able to give your views in writing or in discussion at a meeting.
Co-production / Co-design
Involving people who need care and support in designing and planning services, based on their experiences and ideas. These people are invited to work with professionals to design how a new service could work. They might also be asked to share their experiences in order to help a service improve. Visit our Co-production page for more information.
Court of Protection
An English court that makes decisions for people who lack mental capacity to make decisions for themselves. This will be regarding their property, finances, health and welfare. The court can appoint a ‘deputy’ to make ongoing decisions on behalf of someone who lacks capacity. It is also able to grant power of attorney.
CQC - Care Quality Commission
An organisation set up by the Government that makes sure certain organisations provide care that is:
- safe
- caring
- effective
- responsive
- well-led
It is responsible for this in all hospitals, care homes, dentists, GPs and home care agencies in England. If you are unhappy with the care or support you receive, you can contact CQC to let them know. CQC cannot investigate complaints about an individual person’s treatment or care. However, it inspects services, and will use any information it receives from you to help it decide what to look at during an inspection. Visit CQC website for further information.
Day services / day opportunities
Opportunities to do things during the day, while living in your own home. These may include social activities, education, or the opportunity to learn new skills. What Cornwall Council offers will vary, depending on what you need and what is available in your area. You may have to pay something towards the cost. Visit our Day Opportunities page for more information.
DBS - Disclosure and Barring Service
A government organisation that checks people’s criminal records, in order to prevent unsuitable people from working with children or adults who may be at risk of harm or abuse.
Decommissioning
Removing or replacing a service. In the case of a local service that provides care or support, the council as commissioner may stop using it or paying for it. This may mean the service will close.
Deferred payments
If you need residential care, the council will assess what you need and whether you can afford to pay for a care home. You may only be able to pay care home fees if you sell your house. If this is the case, the council may help pay the fees while you wait for your house to be sold. You would still have to pay as much as you can during this time, based on your income or available capital. Once the house is sold, you would then have to repay the council. In certain circumstances councils will have to offer this scheme to people. Broadly this is when someone has limited savings other than the value of their property. Visit our Paying for Care pages for additional information.
Deprivation of assets
When you deliberately reduce the amount of savings or property you have, to qualify for help with paying for care costs, or for various benefits. Your council may judge that you have deliberately reduced your assets, if it believes that you knew you would probably need care and support. This is fraud. Visit our Paying for Care pages for more information.
DOLS - Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards
Legal protection for people who are unable to make decisions about their own care and support, property or finances. This is due to them being in hospital, a care home, or other residential setting. People with mental health conditions may not be allowed to make decisions for themselves, if this is deemed to be in their best interests. The safeguards exist to make sure that people do not lose the right to make their own decisions for the wrong reasons. Visit our Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards page for more information.
DP - Direct Payments
Money that is paid regularly to someone eligible for support from the council, so they can arrange their own support. It is an alternative to receiving social care services arranged by the council. DP's can be paid to someone acting on your behalf, or direct to you. DP’s give people choice and control over what, how, when and by whom their support is provided. Direct payments are available to most people who have been assessed as being eligible for council-funded social care. They are not yet generally available for residential care. Visit our Direct Payments pages for more information.
DRE - Disability Related Expenses
Money that you have to spend on things because of your disability, that you would not have to spend otherwise. This may be for things like extra laundry, high heating bills or special clothes. The law says that your council should look at these expenses when it does a financial assessment. We will include their cost when we work out how much you can reasonably afford to pay for chargeable services. Visit our Paying for Care pages for further information.
DFG - Disabled Facilities Grant
A grant you might be able to get from Cornwall Council in order to make changes to your home because you have a disability. Changes include things like widening doors, adding ramps or installing a downstairs bathroom. If the person with a disability is an adult, your household income and savings will be looked at, and you may need to pay towards the cost of the work. If the person is under 18, the family can get a grant without the parents’ income being taken into account. If you want to apply for a DFG, you should contact the council. Visit our Housing page for more information.
An Expert by Experience is a person who has personal experience of using health and/or social care in the past 8 years. Experts by Experience work with people who use health and social care, or providers of health and social care, Councils and the NHS. They talk to them about what it is like for them. Experts by Experience deliver the voice and experience of people who use health and social care. They also work alongside CQC Inspectors as part of a CQC inspection team. Visit our Co-production page for more information.
Eligibility
When your needs fit the criteria that allow you to receive a service.
Eligible care and support needs
The needs you have for care and support that your council is required by law to meet. Under the Care Act 2014, councils no longer decide for themselves what type of needs they will meet. We now have to follow the new national minimum eligibility threshold. You are likely to have ‘eligible needs’ if you need a lot of help to do basic care tasks. This might include things like washing yourself, getting dressed, getting in and out of bed, and keeping your home safe.
You can ask for an assessment, to find out about whether you have eligible care needs. Request Help for an Adult.
Enablement/ Reablement
A way of helping you to become more independent by gaining the ability to move around and do everyday tasks for yourself. You may be offered an enablement service if you have lost some daily living skills because of poor health, disability or a hospital stay. It usually lasts for around six weeks, takes place in your own home, and you won’t have to pay.
Extra-care housing
Similar to sheltered housing, but with additional care and support available. It is for people with illnesses or disabilities who wish to have a home of their own. Extra-care housing may be an option if living alone at home is difficult, but you do not wish to choose residential care. It allows you to have your own home, either rented or bought, with personal care and domestic help readily available. Visit out Extra Care Housing page for more information.
Guidance to councils from the Government on how much they should charge you for things like home care and day services (but not a care home). You should not be charged more than is ‘reasonable’ for you to pay, or more than it costs to provide the service.
Financial assessment
A discussion that your council may have with you to work out how much you can afford to pay towards the care and support you need. It involves looking at your income, savings and individual circumstances. This will take place after an assessment of your care and support needs. Visit our Financial Assessment page for more information.
First contact
The first time you get in touch with the care system through your local council and begin the process of assessment. Visit our Introduction to Adult Social Care page.
Fluctuating needs
Care and support needs that change over time, or that vary from day to day. The Care Act 2014 says that councils should ask, as part of your assessment, how your needs vary. They should look at you over a long enough period of time to get a complete picture of your needs. If you have fluctuating needs, your care plan or support plan should say what you want to happen if you have a sudden change or an emergency.
Care and support that treats you as a whole person and considers all your needs at the same time - physical, psychological, social and spiritual.
A physical or mental problem, caused by an injury, an illness or a condition you were born with.
Inclusion
Meeting the needs of everyone in a community. We try to do this by creating an environment where everyone feels comfortable, respected and able to achieve their potential. It means treating people as equals and removing barriers that may stop them participating in an event or activity.
Independent living
The right to choose the way you live your life. It does not necessarily mean living by yourself or doing everything for yourself. It means the right to receive the assistance and support you need so you can participate in your community, and live the life you want.
IMCA - Independent Mental Capacity Advocate
An independent person who is knowledgeable about the Mental Capacity Act and people’s rights. An IMCA represents someone who does not have capacity to consent to specific decisions. This might include whether they should move to a new home or agree to medical treatment. The law says that people over the age of 16 have the right to receive this support, if they lack capacity and have no-one else to support or represent them.
IMHA - Independent Mental Health Advocacy
A service that should be offered to you if you are being treated in hospital or somewhere else under the Mental Health Act. Independent Mental Health Advocates are there to help you understand your legal rights, and to help make your views heard. This is not the same as Independent Mental Capacity Advocacy (IMCA). That is for people who are unable to make certain decisions and have no one to support or represent them. But there may be times when someone needs both an IMHA and an IMCA. Visit our Mental Health page for more information.
Indicative personal budget
An approximate guide to how much money you may receive in your personal budget to help meet your care and support needs. It is estimated by the council using a Resource Allocation System, following their assessment of your needs and your finances. It is not an exact figure: the final amount is agreed later, based on the actual cost of the support you need, as set out in your support plan. Knowing an approximate budget for your support up front helps you to be part of the support planning process. See our Paying for Care page for more information.
IBS - Indicative Budget Calculator
(the same as a RAS - Resource Allocation System)
The system some councils use to decide how much money people get for their support. There are clear rules, so everyone can see that money is given out fairly. Once your needs have been assessed, you will be allocated an indicative budget - so that you know how much money you have to spend on care and support.
ISF - Individual Service Fund
This is is one way of managing a personal budget. Someone who needs care and support chooses an organisation to manage the budget on their behalf. They work together to plan care and support services and activities that will help them to achieve their identified outcomes. Visit our Direct Payments and Individual Service Fund pages for more information.
Informed consent
When you have received the right information to enable you to decide whether to allow someone to do something to you or for you. You should only give consent if you understand what you are being asked to agree to. You need to understand, what the benefits and risks might be, and what the alternatives are if you do not agree. See also capacity to consent.
There are two possible meanings to the term ‘joint assessment’:
- having the needs of the person who cares for you assessed at the same time as your own needs
- having an assessment carried out by more than one type of care professional at the same time
Joint commissioning
When two or more organisations in a local area work together to plan services to meet the needs of people who live in the area. Usually it is the NHS and local council. Together the commissioners plan what kind of services should be available, who should provide them and how they should be paid for.
JSNA - Joint Strategic Needs Assessment
The process of identifying the future health, care and wellbeing needs of the population in a particular area. It also includes planning services to help meet those needs. This process is led by Cornwall Council, working with the NHS, and private and voluntary organisations in Cornwall.
A term that is used to describe a brain impairment.This may make it difficult for someone to communicate, to understand new or complex information, or to learn new skills. The person may need help to manage everyday tasks or live independently. Learning disability starts in childhood and has a lasting effect on a person’s development. It can affect people mildly or severely.
LGSCO - Local Government Social Care Ombudsman
Someone who investigate your complaints about an organisation or service. They are appointed by the Government or Parliament.
For issues about the NHS, you need to contact the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman to look at your complaint.
There is also a Local Government Ombudsman. You can contact them if you have made a complaint to a council, and you haven’t had a response within a reasonable time or if you are unhappy with the result.
MAPS - (McGill Action Planning System)
MAPs is a person centred support planning style.
It was first used as a tool for helping disabled children to integrate into mainstream schools. It is used more widely in person-centred planning with children and adults.
Means-tested contribution
If the council assesses your needs and finds you are entitled to care and support. We will then carry out a financial assessment. This is to work out how much you can afford to pay for the services you receive. The amount you pay is your means-tested contribution, based on how much money you have. Visit our Paying for Care page for more information.
MCA - Mental Capacity Act
The law that is designed to protect people who are unable to make decisions about their own care and support, property or finances. This is due to a mental health condition, learning disability, dementia, brain injury or illness. ‘Mental capacity’ is the ability to make decisions for yourself. The law says that people may lose the right to make decisions if this is in their best interests. Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) are included in the law, to make sure that people are treated fairly. Visit our DoLS page for more information
Minimum income guarantee
A way of keeping some of your income when you have to pay for all or some of the care you receive in your own home. When the council carries out a financial assessment, it must make sure that your care costs do not cause your income to fall below a certain level. There is a different arrangement if you live in a care home, where you will have a personal expenses allowance. Visit our Paying for Care page for more information.
Multi disciplinary team
A team of different professionals working together to provide care and support that meets your needs. This may include doctors, nurses, therapists, psychologists, social workers, and others. The team brings together many different types of knowledge, skills and expertise, and should look at you as a whole person.
NICE - National Institute for Health and Care Excellence
An organisation that provides advice and guidance to improve health and social care services in England and Wales. It looks at all the evidence on what works and what doesn’t and how much it costs, and advises on what treatment and care should be offered to people. It doesn’t have the power to insist that its guidance is followed in local areas. Visit NICE website for more information.
Nearest relative
A term that is used in the Mental Health Act 1983. It refers to a single member of your family who is given certain rights and responsibilities. This takes effect if you are kept in hospital (also known as being ‘sectioned’). It is not the same as ‘next of kin’ and may not necessarily be the person you have given power of attorney to (if this is relevant to you). The law decides who your nearest relative is, and although you cannot choose who this is, it can sometimes be changed.
Needs assessment
The process of considering whether you need help or support because of your age, disability or illness. Anyone who appears to have a need for care or support is entitled to a needs assessment. It does not matter how severe those needs are or how much money they have. A needs assessment can be arranged by contacting the adult social services department at the council and requesting it. Request Help for an Adult
NICE guidelines (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence)
Recommendations on health and care, based on the best evidence about what works and what is best value for money. The guidelines set out the care and services that are suitable for most people with a specific condition or type of need. They are put together by professional experts and people who use health and care services and are based on evidence from research. They apply to England only. Visit NICE website for more information.
Non-chargeable services
Care and support services you receive in your home or in your community that Cornwall Council does not charge you for. The law prevents us from charging for certain things, including assessments and advice about services. On other things, each council makes its own decisions about which services it will charge for and how much the charge will be. This includes things like day care, home care, domestic help and equipment adaptations.
Notifiable incident
Any unexpected event that causes any sort of harm to a person while they are receiving treatment or care. If this happens, the law says that care providers have to:
- tell the person (or someone acting on their behalf) what has happened
- apologise for it
- explain what the effects might be
- offer to help fix the situation
Occupational therapy helps you live your best life at home, at work – and everywhere else. It’s about being able to do the things you want and have to do. That could mean helping you overcome challenges learning at school, going to work, playing sport or simply doing the dishes. Everything is focused on your wellbeing and your ability to participate in activities.
It’s also a science-based, health and social care profession that’s regulated by the Health and Care Professions Council.
Ordinary residence
The place where you live, or main home, which determines which council will assess your needs and potentially fund any care and support you need. If you have more than one home, councils follow guidance from the Government. This helps us decide which one is your main home, and which council should fund your care.
Outcomes
In social care, an ‘outcome’ refers to an aim or objective you would like to achieve or need to happen. For example, continuing to live in your own home, or being able to go out and about. You should be able to say which outcomes are the most important to you and receive support to achieve them.
Outcomes-based services
- prevention
- enablement
- ways of reducing loneliness and social isolation and
- promotion of independence
Outcomes Star
A growing set of evidence-based tools designed to help workers and clients to identify and measure meaningful change. It is a unique and innovative way for services to demonstrate their impact whilst improving their ways of supporting clients.
PATHS - Planning Alternative Tomorrows and Hope
A ‘family’ of approaches that, collectively, seek to give disabled people control over their own lives and ensure that they are respected and valued.
Personalisation
Personalisation is a social care approach described by the Department of Health. It means that every person who receives support will have choice and control over the shape of that support in all care settings. It doesn’t matter whether that support is provided by statutory services or funded by themselves.
Often personalisation is linked with direct payments and personal budgets. These are arrangements under which service users can choose the services that they receive. Personalisation means that services are designed to meet the needs of every individual. It is not a one-size-fits-all approach.
PA - Personal Assistant
Someone you choose and employ to provide the support you need, in the way that suits you best. This may include:
- cooking
- cleaning
- help with personal care such as washing and dressing
- other things such as getting out and about in your community
Your personal assistant can be paid through direct payments or a personal budget.
PB - Personal Budget
Money that is allocated to you by your local council to pay for care or support to meet your assessed needs. The money comes solely from adult social care. You can take your personal budget as a direct payment. Or you can choose to leave the council to arrange services - this is sometimes known as a managed budget. Or you can choose a combination of the two. An alternative is an individual service fund, which is a personal budget that a care provider manages on your behalf. A personal health budget may also be available: it is a plan for your health care that you develop and control, knowing how much NHS money is available. Visit our Direct Payments pages for more information.
PCP - Person Centred Planning
Person-centred planning is an umbrella term. It refers to various ways to help people who use social care services to plan their own futures. It is a way in which support for people who use social care services can be organised. It is also a way of enabling people to take a lead in planning all aspects of how the service they receive is delivered.
Personal expenses allowance
The amount of money you are allowed to keep for your own personal needs, if you move into a care home and paying for care takes up all of your income or savings. The allowance is currently £28.25 per week (2023). Visit our Paying for Care and Care homes pages for more information.
POA - Power of Attorney
A legal decision you make to allow a specific person to act on your behalf, or to make decisions on your behalf, if you are unable to do so. There are two types. Ordinary power of attorney is where you give someone the power to handle your financial affairs for you. You can continue to make decisions about your money as long as you continue to have mental capacity to make these decisions. Lasting power of attorney is where you allow someone to make decisions on your behalf if you are unable to make these decisions for yourself. There are two types, in both cases: property and finances, and health and welfare.
Primary health need
When your need for ongoing, long-term care is mainly because of your health (due to a disability, accident or illness). This means that, the care you need is provided by health professionals, or by care staff trained by qualified health professionals.
Protected characteristics
A list of factors that people are not allowed to use as a reason to treat you differently to anyone else. These factors are set out in the Equality Act 2010. They are:
- age
- disability
- gender reassignment
- marriage and civil partnership
- pregnancy and maternity
- race
- religion or belief
- sex
- sexual orientation
Your satisfaction with your life in terms of wellbeing and happiness. The way you define your own quality of life will depend on the things that matter most to you as an individual. The care and support you receive should make a positive difference to your quality of life.
Changes that public services, buildings and employers have to make to make it possible for people with disabilities to use a service or do a job. These changes include things like adjusting your working hours, or providing you with a special piece of equipment to do the job. It is against the law to discriminate against you because you have a disability.
Referral
A request for an assessment of a person’s needs, or for support from a social care organisation. A referral to adult social care may be made by your GP, another health professional or anyone else who supports you. You can also refer yourself, or a member of your family, by contacting the adult social care department at your local council. Request Help for an Adult
RAS - Resource Allocation System
(the same as an IBC - Indicative Budget Calculator)
The system some councils use to decide how much money people get for their support. There are clear rules, so everyone can see that money is given out fairly. Once your needs have been assessed, you will be allocated an indicative budget - so that you know how much money you have to spend on care and support. The purpose of an indicative budget is to help you plan the care and support that will help you meet your assessed needs. It might not be the final amount that you get, as you may find that it is not enough (or is more than enough) to meet those needs. Visit our Paying for Care page for more information.
Respite care
A service giving carers a break, by providing short-term care for the person with care needs in their own home or in a residential setting. It can mean a few hours during the day or evening, ‘night sitting’, or a longer-term break. It can also benefit the person with care needs by giving them the chance to try new activities and meet new people. Visit our Respite Care page for more information.
Ensuring that adults who are vulnerable due to their disability or age are not at risk. This includes protecting them from abuse, neglect and exploitation. If you believe that you or someone you know is being abused, you should let the adult social care department at the council know. They should carry out an investigation and put a protection plan in place if abuse is happening. Councils have a duty to work with other organisations to protect adults from abuse and neglect. They do this through local safeguarding boards. Visit our Safeguarding Adults page for more information.
SAB - Safeguarding Adults Board
The SAB leads adult safeguarding arrangements across our area. They oversee and coordinate the effectiveness of the safeguarding work of its member and partner agencies. They work to promote the values and culture contained in ‘Making Safeguarding Personal’. This covers the members of the SAB, its partners and the local community. The SAB will also encourage the wellbeing of the local community and the prevention of abuse and neglect. This will include:
- the safety of people who use services in local health settings, including mental health
- the safety of adults with care and support needs living in social housing
- effective interventions with adults who self-neglect, for whatever reason
- the quality of local care and support services
- the effectiveness of prisons in safeguarding offenders
- making connections between adult safeguarding and domestic abuse
Visit our Safeguarding pages for more information.
SAR - Safeguarding Adults Review
A review that is carried out by a local Safeguarding Adults Board (SAB). It is called for when a vulnerable adult has died or been harmed, and someone knows or suspects that they have been abused or neglected in some way. It will find out what happened, what should have been done differently, and what lessons can be learned for the future. It will not blame anyone specifically.
Visit our Safeguarding pages for more information.
Self-assessment
A form or questionnaire that you complete yourself, either on paper or online. It gives you opportunity to explain your circumstances and why you need support. A social care worker or advocate can help you do this. If we ask you to complete a self-assessment form, we will use this information to decide if you are eligible for social care services. We may decide we need more information, in which case we will ask you to have a full assessment by a social worker.
SDS - Self Directed Support
Self-directed support (SDS) is a way of providing support that means people are given choice and control over what kind of support they get. It means that people can choose and arrange some or all of their own support, instead of having it chosen and arranged by other people.
It is not the name of a particular type of support service, but a way to make sure that care and support is better suited to the people who need it.
It means that people have more choice over:
- who supports them
- when support is provided
- the kind of support wanted
Shared Lives
A type of care for people who are unable to live independently or may not wish to live alone. It is an alternative to supported living, home care or residential care. Shared Lives carers offer care and support in their own home to:
- older people
- people with mental health problems
- people with physical or learning disabilities
This may take the form of regular visits. Alternatively, the individual who needs care and support may live with a Shared Lives carer on a permanent basis. The Shared Lives scheme in Cornwall is managed by Shared Lives Southwest. It is overseen by the Care Quality Commission. Visit our Shared Lives page for more information.
Short breaks
When a person with care and support needs spends regular short periods of time away from their main carer. This is in order to give the carer a break, and to give the person with needs a chance to do something different. These breaks may take place in the person’s own home, in the home of an approved carer, or in a place such as a hospice. Councils must provide short breaks services for children and young people with disabilities.
Single assessment process
An attempt to coordinate assessment and care planning across the NHS and councils. It should work, so that procedures aren’t repeated, and information is shared appropriately. It was introduced because people sometimes have a wide range of needs. This can mean that they end up being assessed more often than necessary, and information can end up getting lost. The single assessment process is widely used for older people, and increasingly for other adults with care needs.
Social Care
Any help that you need to live your life as comfortably and independently as possible, because of age, illness or disability. It can be personal care or practical assistance, or other things.
SV - Social Value
Social value is the contribution an organisation makes to society. It particularly refers to the local society and community (where they operate). Every organisation makes an impact. Some impacts are negative, for example, pollution or poor working conditions. Some social value impacts are positive, such as:
- providing employment
- developing a local supply chain
- training the next generation of apprentices
- contributing volunteers to support the local community
SW - Social Worker
A social worker helps individuals and families improve their quality of life. They can do this by ensuring access to basic needs, and advocating for an individual's human rights. They promote social change and empower their clients. they also analyse the environment, relationships, systems and policies that impact their clients.
Support plan (also Care and Support Plan)
A plan you develop that says how you will spend your personal budget to get the life you want. You need to map out your week, define the outcomes you hope to achieve, and show how the money will be used to make these happen. Your local council must agree the plan before it makes money available to you.
Carers have a Support Plan and the person with disabilities or frailty has a Care and Support Plan according to the Care Act 2014.
Visit our Carer's and Explore Your Care Options pages for more information.
Supported living
An alternative to residential care or living with family. Supported living enables adults with disabilities to live in their own home, with the help they need to be independent. It allows people to choose where they want to live, who they want to live with, how they want to be supported, and what happens in their home. Visit our Supported Living page for more information.
When you move from one place of care to another, such as from hospital to your home, supported housing or residential care. Your transfer should be properly planned and coordinated. Health and social care services should work together. Transfers of care may be delayed for various reasons. For example, you may be ready to leave hospital but end up staying there longer than you need to wait for community care services or a place in a care home to be available.
Transition
The process by which young people with health or social care needs move from children’s services to adult services. It should be carefully planned, so that there are no gaps in the care young people receive. Young people and their families should be fully involved in the planning process. The process should start at about the age of 14 and can carry on up to the age of 25.
Organisations that are run by, and controlled by people who use support services. This includes people with any kind of disability, older people, and families and carers. They are set up to promote giving people more choice and control over how their support needs are met.
An adult who may need care and support because of their age, disability or illness, and may be unable to protect themselves from harm, neglect or abuse.
This may refer to the health, happiness and safety of a person or group of people. It may also refer to financial support that the government provides to people who need it.
Wellbeing
Being in a position where you have:
- good physical health
- good mental health
- control over your day-to-day life
- good relationships
- enough money
- the opportunity to take part in the activities that interest you
The Care Act states Local authorities must promote wellbeing when carrying out any of their care and support functions or a person. This may sometimes be referred to as ‘the wellbeing principle’. It is a guiding principle that puts wellbeing at the heart of care and support.
A young person aged 18 or under who looks after, or helps look after, a family member or friend who has an illness, disability or drug or alcohol problem. They may be responsible for cooking, cleaning, shopping, personal care or emotional support.