Requesting Adult Social Care Support (Croydon Adult Support)

1. Making a Contact or Referral

Most requests for support can be made using our online contact form. Click here to access it.

Alternatively contact us by telephone using 020 8726 6000 or 6500.

Safeguarding

Adults

Urgent concerns that require immediate attention should be reported via telephone using 020 8726 6500. If reporting out of office hours ask for the Duty Social Worker.

Non-urgent concerns can be raised through the online Contact Referral Form or via email to Croydon.AdultSupport@croydon.gov.uk.

Click here to access the online Contact Referral Form.

Note: If the online Contact Referral Form is completed outside of office hours it will be picked up the next working day.

If you are an adult or carer and you wish to access information or advice about adult safeguarding or the support available in the area you can visit the Croydon Multi-Agency Safeguarding Adults Board website by clicking here.

Children

Members of the public and professionals can both raise an urgent concern relating to a child by calling 0208 255 2888. Outside office hours call 0208 726 6400 and ask to speak with the out of hours team.

Professionals can make non-urgent referrals using the Single Point of Contact Referral Form.

Professionals raising an urgent concern by telephone must also complete the Single Point of Contact Referral Form.

Click here to access the online version of the Referral Form.

A downloadable version of the form is also available at the Croydon Council website.

If you are a professional and wish to consult with a social worker before making a referral you can call 0208 726 6464 during office hours. However you should only do so if the case is not already allocated to a social worker and the child lives in the Croydon area.

For more information about Safeguarding Children visit the Croydon Safeguarding Children Board website by clicking here.

If you are concerned that an adult or child is in imminent danger from abuse or neglect, or that a criminal act has taken place you should contact the police by dialling 999.

Mental Health Crisis Support

Already receiving services

If support is already being received from mental health services follow the care plan. This will contain information about who to contact in a crisis.

If the plan is not available contact the allocated care coordinator at the community mental health team using 020 3228 6000 (during office hours) or the 24 hour mental health Crisis Line on 0800 731 2864 (outside office hours).

Not receiving services

Wherever possible speak to a GP to discuss options and agree the best service.

If urgent help or advice is required there is also a 24 hour mental health Crisis Line that can be contacted on 0800 731 2864.

In all cases

If immediate help is needed go to the nearest hospital with an Accident and Emergency (A & E) Department where the psychiatric liaison team can help (available 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year).

Note: If there is an immediate risk of harm call 999.

2. Steps to Consider before Making a Contact or Referral

Consent

Referral

Referrals for adult Care and Support interventions cannot be taken unless:

1. The person or carer the referral relates to is making the referral;
2. The person or carer the referral relates to has given their consent to the referral; or
3. The person that the referral relates to lacks mental capacity to make a referral and a decision has been made under Best Interests that a referral should be made; or
4. The person that the referral relates to is at risk of harm from abuse or neglect.

Review

Requests for a review of an existing Care and Support/Support Plan can be made by anyone who has a concern that a plan may not be working as intended or a person's needs have changed. However, the person or carer whose plan it is must be consulted when deciding how to respond to the request, so it is important that wherever possible they know the request is being made from the outset.

Information Sharing

Information relating to a particular person or carer already receiving a Care and Support service cannot be shared unless:

1. The person or carer to whom it relates is the one requesting it;
2. The person or carer to whom the information relates has given consent for it to be shared with the person requesting it; or
3. The person to whom the information relates lacks capacity to consent for it to be shared but has a legally authorised person that agrees to it being shared;
4. The person to whom the information relates lacks capacity to consent for it to be shared and the Local Authority makes a decision under Best Interests that it should be shared with the person requesting it; or
5. The person is at risk of harm from abuse or neglect.

What can be provided without consent

Unless one of the above situations applies only general information and advice about adult Care and Support can be provided.

Where information is gathered or shared it will be done so with full regard to the Caldicott Principles and local information sharing policies.

Information and Advice

If the purpose of the contact is to access information or advice about adult Care and Support there are a range of alternative options available:

1. To access information online go to www.croydon.gov.uk/healthsocial/adult-care;
2. To access information in person visit Access Croydon, Bernard Weatherhill House, 8 Mint Walk, Croydon, CR0 1EA.

Click here to see the answers to some frequently asked questions around financial assessment, including questions relating to Disabled Facilities Grants.

Note: This FAQ is based on statutory duties and powers and does not reflect Croydon Councils policy to provide all carers services on a non-chargeable basis.

The Customer Financial Affairs Team also have a Charging Helpline open between the hours of 9-5 Monday-Friday. The number is 020 8760 5676.

The following local organisations are also able to provide general information and advice relating to adult Care and Support:

Advice Services Croydon
020 8686 0066
asc@adviceservicescroydon.org.uk
directory.ageukcroydon.org.uk/

Disability Croydon
50 High Street
Croydon
CR0 1YB
020 8688 3622
dcsupport@disabilitycroydon.org.uk

Citizens Advice Bureau
48-50 Portland Road
South Norwood
London
SE25 4PQ

1. Drop In for advice Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays 10am-12 noon;
2. Online Advice Service (www.citizensadvicecroydon.org): Fill in the online form to request advice;
3. Telephone advice line: 020 8684 2236, available Monday and Friday 12 noon -2.30pm and Wednesday and Thursday 10am -11.30am;
4. Advice online at the website on a range of matters, including benefits, work, debt, housing, law and rights, healthcare etc. (www.citizensadvicecroydon.org/);
5. Access Croydon can also process a referral to the Citizens Advice Bureau.

If more bespoke information and advice is required the table below provides details of some of the local organisations that can provide this.

Name of Organisation	Contact Details	Type of Information/Advice
Croydon Carers Support	24 George Street Croydon CR0 1PB Tel: 020 8649 9339, option 1 Email: enquiries@carersinfo.org.uk www.carersinfo.org.uk/	Information and advice for carers.
Mind in Croydon	020 8668 2210 directory.mindincroydon.org.uk/	Information line and online Mental Health Services Directory.
Croydon Hearing	0208 686 0049 Text Phone: 07596 717042 Email: enquiry@croydonhearing.org.uk	Information and advice for people with any type of hearing loss.
Croydon Vision	0208 688 2486 Email: info@croydonvision.org.uk	Information and advice for those who are blind or partially sighted.
Discretionary Housing Team	Email: DHP2@Croydon.gov.uk	Support with electric or gas top ups/food vouchers/discretionary help for rent, deposits.
Council Tenants Welfare Benefit Advice	Email: CouncilTenantsWBA@croydon.gov.uk	This for council tenants who have secure tenancies.

If you feel the person/carer for whom the information and advice is intended will need additional support to understand it then the Local Authority may be able to facilitate access to an independent advocate. However, there is no duty upon the Local Authority to do so and any decisions will be made on the available evidence and presenting circumstances. To discuss this further please contact us.

Information and Advice about Equipment and Adaptations

The following is a list of local services that specialise in providing equipment and adaptations;

Community Equipment Service
Croydon Living Independently Centre
3 Imperial Way
Croydon
CR0 4RR

Email: cesadmin@croydon.gov.uk
Phone: 020 8664 8860
Visit the website www.croydon.gov.uk/health-and-wellbeing/community-equipment-service-ces

NRS Healthcare
www.nrshealthcare.co.uk/
0345 121 8111
Email for advice: productadvice@nrs-uk.co.uk

Ask Sara
Ask Sara is a website providing interactive live equipment advice at croydon.livingmadeeasy.org.uk.

Note: Anyone likely to have a need has a legal right to an assessment and, if eligible for support equipment up to the value of £1000 is non-chargeable.

Information and Advice about Health and Wellbeing

Just Be Croydon is an online resource providing a range of advice and tips to help Croydon residents:

1. Be happy;
2. Be active;
3. Be alcohol aware;
4. Be sex safe;
5. Be food smart; or
6. Be smoke free.

The site also provides information about useful apps, websites and local services including how to access Just Live Well and local drop-in health hubs.

Visit the website at www.justbecroydon.org/.

Prevention Services

Prevention services are those services that delay, reduce or prevent the development of Care and Support needs.

In Croydon, the local approach is to work with partners on prevention in a way which is:

1. Personalised-responsive and flexible depending on the person;
2. Based on what people want to achieve in their lives;
3. Asset focused-building on what people and their communities can do and promoting new ideas;
4. A positive experience-engaging with people and learning as part of continuous improvement;
5. Integrated-whole system approach where services work in a joined up and seamless way; and
6. Efficient-better use of resources and understanding how they work.

You can find out about local prevention services from Croydon Adult Support, or you can find out from one of the information and advice services (see previous section for details).

If you make a referral Croydon Adult Support will need to establish what prevention services have been accessed or explored already and which prevention services may be beneficial in order to fulfil its legal responsibilities around prevention.

Early Onset Dementia Assessment Referrals

These specialist referrals can only be made;

1. By Mental Health services or practitioners; when
2. The memory clinic has completed a review.

Referrers should note that if the memory clinic has not completed a review the referral will not be accepted.

3. What makes a Good Referral

Knowing what information to provide in a referral

Under the Care Act an assessment begins as soon as the Local Authority receives information relating to a person/carer. How the assessment progresses will very much depend on the quality and comprehensiveness of the information provided at the referral stage. As such, it is important that the person making the referral provides the right information in the right way, so that:

1. The service can determine the best course of action following referral; and
2. The person/carer does not have to unnecessarily repeat what they have said should their assessment progress into a more prolonged intervention.

When making a referral by telephone or in writing, please ensure that you have the following information available/included:

1. All personal details, including the persons/carers full name (and also preferred name or previous surname), address and preferred contact details, date of birth, national insurance number and NHS number;
2. The name, relationship and contact details of the person making the referral (if not the person/carer themselves);
3. When and how the person/carer consented to the referral;
4. If the person has not consented to the referral, was a mental capacity assessment carried out and is the referral being made under Best Interests;
5. What the presenting issue is from the person's/carer's perspective and what they would like to happen;
6. What the presenting issue is from the referrer's point of view (if the referrer is not the person/carer) and what action they may recommend;
7. What options have been considered with the person/carer to resolve the issue so far, including what support the person/carer has had from family and community networks;
8. What information and advice has been provided to the person/carer or what information and advice may be required;
9. What prevention services have been used, considered or may be of benefit;
10. Any specific communication needs of the person/carer that need to be considered so they can understand and be involved in any adult Care and Support process;
11. Whether the person/carer is likely to have substantial difficulty in any adult Care and Support process, and if so whether an independent advocate has been considered;
12. Details of any previous or current Care and Support services (whether the Local Authority is providing them or not);
13. With the person's/carer's consent the name and contact details of anyone involved in their life who should be involved in any assessment (family member, friend or professional); and
14. Any other information deemed relevant by the person/carer or referrer (if the referrer is not the person/carer).

Missing information: Written referrals

If any of the above information is missing without a valid reason the referral may be returned to the referrer for additional information to support the outcome decision.

Missing information: Telephone referrals

If any of the above information is not available when the referral is being made the referrer may be asked to make further contact to provide the additional information required.