Departments Directions Social Fund GuidePart 2 - Community Care Grants
Direction 4 - The qualifying conditions
Direction 4 - The qualifying conditions
The Department directs that
Subject to directions 25 and 26, a social fund payment may be awarded to promote community care -
(a) by assisting an applicant with expenses, including expenses of travel within the United Kingdom, (except those excluded by these directions) where such assistance will -
(i) help the applicant, a member of his family or other person for whom the applicant (or a member of his family) will be providing care, to establish himself in the community following a stay in institutional or residential accommodation in which he received care, or
(ii) help the applicant, a member of his family or other person for whom the applicant (or a member of his family) will be providing care, to remain in the community rather than enter institutional or residential accommodation in which he will receive care, or
(iii) ease exceptional pressures on the applicant and his family, or
(iv) allow the applicant or his partner to care for a prisoner or young offender on temporary release under rule 27 of the Prisons and Young Offenders Centres Rules (Northern Ireland) 1995, or
(v) help the applicant to set up home in the community as a part of a planned resettlement programme following a period during which he has been without a settled way of life, or
(b) by assisting an applicant and one or more members of his family, or any of those persons, with expenses of travel including any reasonable charges for overnight accommodation within the United Kingdom in order to -
(i) visit someone who is ill, or
(ii) attend a relative's funeral, or
(iii) ease a domestic crisis, or
(iv) visit a child who is with the other parent pending a court decision or
(v) move to suitable accommodation.
Health and Social Care Trusts (HSCTs) provision for community care
2350Health and Social Care Trusts have the lead role in community care. They liaise with other local agencies to secure its effective delivery. Community Care Grants complement Health and Social Care Trust and other agencies' provisions.
2351The Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons (Northern Ireland) Act 1970 enables Health and Social Care Trusts to provide a range of practical help for frail elderly and disabled people with a substantial and permanent disability. There may be some shared areas of responsibility with the Social Fund. If appropriate, you should liaise with the relevant Social Services Department .
2352The nature of Community Care Grants means that liaison with local agencies is desirable. Social Services Departments provide a range of community care services to help people live independently in their own homes.
2353Not all people who require help will be receiving it from Social Services Departments. They may, for example, receive it from other Government agencies, voluntary organisations, relatives, friends or neighbours instead.
2354If they are in contact, social services authorities may be providing meals-on-wheels, help in the home or special equipment. A Community Care Grant may add to this `package of care' in order to give people further help in retaining their independence in the community. In some cases Social Services Department staff or other key workers may help people apply for a Community Care Grant.
2355It is important that you laise with Social Services Departments or key workers of other appropriate organisations if:
they are already in contact with the applicant or there is any uncertainty about boundaries of responsibilities
2356You must also remember the need for confidentiality and the need to obtain the applicant's consent before approaching any outside body.
2357-2399
|
