What to expect from Adult Social Care

This section is here to help you if you’re thinking about contacting Adult Social Care but aren’t quite sure what the process looks like. By understanding the steps involved, we hope you’ll feel more comfortable and confident when reaching out for support.

Every journey with Adult Social Care is unique, and we’ll work with you to understand your individual needs and what matters most to you. Throughout the process, you’ll always be treated with respect, and your views will play an important part in every decision we make together.

When you contact the Sefton Adult Social Care team, here are the main stages you can expect along the way:

Initial Contact:
You’ll speak with a friendly, trained team member who will listen carefully to your concerns and gather some basic information about your situation, needs and goals.

Assessment:
If it sounds like you may need more support, we’ll arrange a meeting with a Social Care professional. This is a relaxed conversation about how you’re managing day‑to‑day and what kind of help might make things easier for you.

Eligibility Check:
After your assessment, we’ll look at the national criteria to understand whether you qualify for support. We’ll consider what you can do independently and where you may need a bit more help. If appropriate, we may also involve other professionals or family members (with your agreement) so we can build a full picture of your needs.

Care Plan:
If you’re eligible for support, we’ll work together—along with anyone else you’d like involved—to create a personal care plan. This plan sets out the support you’ll receive and how it will be provided, making sure it reflects what matters most to you.

Personal Budget:
We’ll explain how much money is available to meet your assessed care needs. This is called your personal budget, and it helps you understand the cost of your care, including any contributions you may need to make.

Review:
Your care plan won’t stay static—life changes, and your support can change with it. We’ll review your plan regularly to make sure it still meets your needs. If anything changes sooner, you’re always welcome to ask for a review at any time.

Information and Advice:
Local authorities must provide clear information and advice to help you understand your options and make informed choices about your care. (There’s also a short, helpful video at the bottom of this page that explains this further.)

Below, you’ll find a short and helpful video that walks you through what you can expect from us at Sefton Adult Social Care.
It’s designed to give you a clear, simple overview so you can feel more confident and informed about the support available to you.

Adult Social Care can sometimes feel confusing, so we’ve put together answers to some of the questions people ask us most often. We hope they help you feel more informed and confident about the support available to you.

Many of these questions are also explained in the short, helpful animation at the bottom of this page, titled Your Care Options.

The services you can access may vary, but they typically include:

• Personal care: Support with things like bathing, dressing, and grooming.
• Home care: Help with everyday tasks such as cooking, cleaning, and shopping.
• Reablement support: Short‑term help to build or regain your independence.
• Day care: Access to day centres with activities, social opportunities, and support.
• Respite care: Temporary support that gives carers a much‑needed break.
• Residential or nursing care: Short or long‑term stays in a care home if needed.

For more information see our Social Care and Health Commissioning webpages

Funding can come from a few different places:

• Local council funding: Based on your needs assessment and financial assessment.
• Personal contributions: You may be asked to contribute toward the cost of your care.
• Benefits and allowances: Payments like Attendance Allowance or PIP can help with care costs.

There’s lots of support available for caregivers, including:

• Sefton Carers Centre: Offering training, respite, advice, funding, and emotional support.
• Support groups: Local and online groups where you can share experiences and connect with others. Visit out Get involved webpages to see an up-to-date list of our forums and support groups
• Respite care: Short breaks to help you recharge.
• Training and education: Courses that help you feel confident and skilled in your caring role. See our internal Sefton Council Information for Carers webpages

You have the right to be treated with dignity and respect at every stage. You should always be listened to, involved in decisions, and supported in a way that promotes your independence and wellbeing.

Your rights include:

• The right to have your needs assessed
• The right to be involved in your care planning
• The right to clear information and advice
• The right to dignity, respect, and fair treatment
• The right to have eligible care and support needs met

Choosing the right care can feel overwhelming, but you don’t have to figure it out alone. This short, friendly animation helps break things down so you can understand the different types of care and support available to you, what they mean in practice, and how they might fit your needs.

Whether you’re exploring support for yourself or someone you care about, this video gives a clear, simple overview to help you feel more informed, confident, and ready to make the choices that feel right for you.