How social care services can help
Social care services are used by a wide variety of people for many different reasons. Find out if you could benefit from social care services too.
- Who uses social care?
- How can social care services help?
- What are the different types of social care services?
- How do I find the right care for me?
Who uses social care?
More than 1.5 million people use social care services in England. People over 65 are the largest group of people using publicly funded social care. That number is predicted to rise as people live longer and rates of diseases connected to ageing increase, such as Alzheimer's disease.
People who use social care also include those with a:
- Sensory impairment
- Physical disability
- Learning disability
- Terminal illness
- Mental illness
- Problem connected to ageing
- Alcohol dependency
- Drug dependency
Some social care services are used by carers (for example, if a carer needs a break or more support).
Find out how to get support if you are a carer.
Social care services for children are monitored by Ofsted.
Find out about children's social care on the Ofsted website
How can social care services help?
Asking for help is sometimes the hardest thing we have to do. But help is there and could really improve the quality of your life. The best social care services help people live their lives to the full and are a positive experience for the people who use them.
How much people rely on social care services varies a lot. Some people only need care for a short time, to get them over a difficult patch, or once or twice a week. Other people need full-time care and may use a range of services.
Here are some of the ways in which good care services might be able to help:
- You could have a volunteer or transport to take you to the library, a class or a club
- They can provide a home help or someone to collect your pension
- They can get you to a day centre so you have company during the day
- They can offer advice about your welfare benefits
- They can get help for a relative or friend who normally looks after you
What are the different types of social care services?
Care services come in different shapes and sizes. Some will suit you more than others.
Social care services are not simply split between home care and residential care. Many social care providers now offer new schemes, such as extra care housing or sheltered housing, that help you to stay as independent as possible with care available if and when you need it.
You may be able to mix and match different types of care, including regular short breaks (sometimes called respite care) for a relative or friend who looks after you.
Find out about our different services
How do I find the right care for me?
Whatever your personal situation, getting the right care is important. The first step is to get a care assessment from your council to find out what sort of care you need.
