Social Care Needs Assessments and Reviews

This page is all about social care needs assessments. Our team of Social Workers can help with a wide range of assessments, including:

• Social Care Needs Assessments and Reviews

• Deprivation of Liberty Assessments and Reviews (including Expert Witness reports for the Court of Protection)

• Best Interests Determination Reports (and mental capacity assessment reports)

• Continuing Healthcare Reports

• SEND (EHCP) Tribunal Reports

• Immigration and VISA Reports

What is a Social Care Needs Assessment?

A social care needs assessment looks at a person’s care and support needs to work out what kind of care is needed and where it should be provided—most often either at home or in a care home. Local authorities (social services) are usually responsible for these assessments because they have a legal duty to do so if it seems someone needs support. Sometimes people arrange their own care and funding (called “self-funding”) and may not involve the local authority at all. Other times, families or individuals disagree with a local authority’s assessment and want a second opinion.

​

Care Management for Self-Funders

Care planning, or care management, covers everything from assessment to writing a support plan and finding the right care. Our team of experienced Social Workers can assess you or your client, create a support plan that details how your needs should be met, and help find the most suitable care. We offer a complete service, including regular check-ins with your care provider and support for any concerns that arise. If you’ve been told by someone else—maybe a family member, deputy, attorney, or the local authority—that you have to move to a care home, we can help explore whether staying at home is an option, especially if you or your family disagree with the decision. As part of planning, we can see whether you qualify for Continuing Healthcare (CHC) funding, where the NHS pays your care fees if your needs are primarily health-related. If you pay privately or receive direct payments, we can help you find homecare assistants, support workers, live-in carers, or personal assistants.

Care Assessment and Review Service for Local Authorities

We take a professional, unbiased approach to care assessments and reviews, which is why local authorities trust us to handle assessments on their behalf. It’s vital that local authorities assess and review people’s care needs promptly. However, as of July 2020, nearly 7,000 people had waited more than six months for an assessment—a wait that’s far too long. If you represent a local authority and want to discuss how we can help, please  email hello@cvcsocialconsultancy.com

Social Care Needs Assessments for Adults and Children

We provide social care needs assessments for both adults and children. For adults, we follow the Care Act 2014, which gives local authorities a framework for assessing care and support needs. The assessment must be person-centred, involving the individual and giving them choice and control. Our assessments also involve the person’s support network to get a complete picture.

As we are independent of any local authority, we can be asked to carry out assessments for many reasons—like if someone disagrees with a council’s assessment or if the council refuses to do one because they don’t think there’s a need. We can be instructed by individuals, their representatives, solicitors, or local authorities seeking an independent, registered Social Worker.

If the assessment is for an adult with a suspected or diagnosed brain injury, we can include a Brain Injury Needs Indicator (BINI) as part of our work. Developed by The Disabilities Trust for the Department of Health and Social Care, the BINI helps identify the needs of people with brain injuries, especially when there’s frontal lobe damage and the person may not be fully aware of their situation. We gather input not just from the person but also from professionals and support networks.

If a child is nearly 18 and will likely need support as an adult, the local authority must assess their needs if it’s in the child’s best interests and with their consent. If the child is at risk or experiencing abuse or neglect, the assessment must go ahead regardless. These assessments look at what the child will need after turning 18, what outcomes they hope to achieve, and how support can help reach those goals.

Parent Carer Needs Assessments (PCNA) and Carers’ Assessments

A Parent Carer Needs Assessment (PCNA) helps understand how caring for a child with additional needs or disabilities affects a parent’s wellbeing and life. It explores what help and support might be available to parents. Local authorities must assess a parent carer’s needs if the child will need support after turning 18 and the assessment would benefit the carer.

A carer’s assessment should look at whether the carer can keep providing support after the child becomes an adult and if they’re willing to continue doing so. It also considers the carer’s needs, the goals they want to achieve in daily life, and how support can help them reach those outcomes.

​

Mental Capacity Assessment

What is a Mental Capacity Assessment?

A mental capacity assessment checks whether someone can make a specific decision for themselves. Sometimes, people’s ability to make choices is affected—either temporarily or permanently—and they may need support or someone else to decide for them. While this might sound simple, everyone has different values and opinions on what’s “best,” and it’s important to consider what the person themselves would want if they could decide.

If you’d like to skip this overview and are looking for a COP3, testamentary, or litigation capacity report, please email hello@cvcsocialconsultancy.com or visit our contact page.

Most of us make countless decisions every day without giving it much thought. In fact, the average adult makes around 3,500 choices daily! Some are quick and routine—like getting out of bed, feeding the cat, or choosing a supermarket. Deciding what to wear might be as simple as glancing out the window, and what to eat could depend on what’s in the fridge or on a menu. But what happens when someone loses the ability to make even simple choices? Or when bigger decisions—like where to live, how to manage money, or who inherits belongings—become overwhelming or impossible?

Life is full of both small and significant decisions, but not everyone can always make them. So, what do we do in those cases?

How is Mental Capacity Assessed?

We offer a variety of services, from assessing mental capacity to helping guide decision-making. Please explore our site to learn more about the different ways we can help.

The Mental Capacity Act (2005) sets out guidelines for checking if someone can make a particular decision at a certain time. This applies to decisions about health, well-being, and finances, though it’s just one of several tests depending on the situation. For example, decisions about writing a will or going to court use different assessments. It’s crucial that anyone assessing mental capacity knows which test fits the situation. These are the same standards lawyers and judges use in the Court of Protection, which makes decisions for people who lack capacity.

It’s vital to be clear from the start about exactly what decision is being assessed. A well-defined question leads to a better assessment, while vague or general questions make things less accurate—and don’t reflect good practice. Some examples of decisions we might be asked to assess include:

• Education and litigation for young people aged 16–25

• COP3 reports for the Court of Protection

• Social media and internet use

• Managing finances

• Making advance decisions to refuse medical treatment

• Creating a Lasting Power of Attorney

• Making welfare decisions

• Deciding where to live

• Making a will (testamentary capacity)

• Taking part in court proceedings (capacity to litigate)

• Marriage

• Sexual relationships

• Using CCTV

Mental Capacity Assessments for Children and Young People

We can also assess the capacity of children in specific situations where the Mental Capacity Act applies, such as:

• Managing property and affairs for someone under 16 if they’re likely to lack capacity at 18

• Cases involving ill-treatment or wilful neglect of a person lacking capacity, regardless of their age

We’ve been working with children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) since 2005, so we recognise the different approaches required depending on age and circumstances. Good communication is key to helping someone make their own decisions, so we always look for the best way to support the person’s understanding.

Who can be a Mental Capacity Assessor ?

When someone can’t make a decision for themselves, everyday choices are often handled by family, carers, or an attorney or deputy appointed by the courts. Routine decisions, like meals and clothing, are made daily. More complex decisions—such as where to live or types of care—usually need a skilled Mental Capacity Assessor. These assessors are often social workers, psychiatrists, or other health and social care professionals. You don’t have to be a GP or clinician, as the assessment isn’t a medical test—it’s about whether someone can make decisions for themselves. Social workers, especially those trained as Best Interests Assessors, are well suited to this role.

Contact us today if you’d like to discuss mental capacity assessments, or if you’d like our help conducting one.

​

Court of Protection Independent Social Work Reports

Expert Guidance for Capacity and Best Interests Proceedings

Are you in need of an Independent Social Work Report for Court of Protection proceedings? Our team of seasoned social workers is here to help with matters concerning a person’s mental capacity or best interests. We regularly undertake Care Act (adult social care) assessments and develop support plans. With decades of combined experience, we specialise in adult care needs assessments, mental capacity evaluations, and making best interests decisions.

When you instruct us, your case will be overseen by a Director, senior Social Worker, or Associate Social Worker with a robust background in preparing reports for courts or tribunals. Many members of our team are also trained Best Interests Assessors.

What is a Best Interests Assessor (BIA), and why is this important?

Anyone—whether a family member, someone with a Lasting Power of Attorney, a court-appointed Deputy, or a health or social care professional—can carry out mental capacity assessments and make best interests determinations, depending on the decision at hand. Sometimes, these are made in best interests meetings, with one person acting as the final decision-maker.

A Best Interests Assessor, however, is a health or social care professional who has received additional specialist training. BIAs are tasked with decisions related to human rights, particularly when evaluating whether a person has the mental capacity to consent to arrangements that might amount to a deprivation of liberty. Their expertise ensures they can assess mental capacity and make best interests decisions for all issues that may come before the Court of Protection—not just those involving Deprivation of Liberty under Article 5 of the European Convention on Human Rights. BIAs are trained to produce high-standard assessments and reports, and to handle complex risk situations.

How can we assist the Court of Protection?

We can support the Court of Protection with any case that requires an Independent Social Work Report, especially those relating to deprivation of liberty, mental capacity, or best interests. Lawyers representing individuals or their representatives—particularly in cases challenging the lawfulness of a Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) authorisation—can instruct us. People subject to DoLS have the right to a prompt court hearing if they or their representative wish to challenge the decision.

Our independent social workers can assess whether the person lacks the mental capacity to consent to their current or proposed arrangements, and whether these arrangements truly serve their best interests.

​