If you are a parent Carer caring for a child (under 18) with disabilities or additional needs, you may be eligible for a parent carer needs assessment.

In law, a parent carer is anyone with parental responsibility for the child. This includes birth parents, adoptive parents, and relatives with legal responsibility.

Other family members who do not have parental responsibility (like a grandparent) might also be able to get an assessment if they provide regular care for the child (usually 35 hours or more a week).

Norfolk County Council has a duty to assess parent carers on appearance of need, or where the parent carer requests this. You have a right to an assessment under the Children and Families Act 2014.

It is not a test of your parenting skills; it focuses on the support you need as a carer.

The parent carer needs assessment is a chance for you talk to someone about how caring for your child affects you, and where you might need some extra help. It looks at your health and wellbeing, work, free time, and your relationships with family and friends.

 It is different to any assessment that your child might have, which focuses on their needs.

How to Apply

You can request an assessment through Norfolk County Council, you can:

  • Phone: Call the customer service team at 0344 800 8020.
  • Online: Submit an inquiry via the Request Early Help form on the Norfolk County Council website.
  • Allocated Worker: Speak directly to your child’s allocated social worker or family practitioner if you already have one.

What help could parent carers receive?

After talking to you and understanding where you might need some help, you can access information, guidance, or support.

Following your assessment, NCC may connect you with partner organizations like Kids to build a personalized support plan. Available help may include:

  • Workshops with information and strategies for specific needs
  • The 'Healthy Parent Carer' programme to support parent carers' resilience.
  • Coffee mornings and drop-in sessions
  • One-to-one support

If you prefer, you can do the parent carer needs assessment with Kids and Norfolk County Council will arrange this for you.

Related downloads

·       www.norfolk.gov.uk/helpforfamilies

·       Norfolk County Council Parent Carer Needs Assessment

·       Kids Charity

·       Carers Matter Norfolk

·       https://www.norfolk.gov.uk/article/60983/Request-for-support (Early Help).

·       www.youngcarersmatternorfolk.org