Once we know what’s important to you and life feels more settled we can talk to you about any longer-term needs you might have and how these could be supported.

This conversation looks at:

• what a good life looks like for you
• what is working well
• what relationships and community connections you already have to support you
• anything that you feel is causing difficulty in your day‑to‑day life

Anyone is entitled to receive preventative or community support, and there is a wide range of options in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole. Check our adult social care directory to see what support is available to you.

We will usually only discuss council-funded support once it is clear that community options are unlikely to meet your needs in the longer-term. This is when we will consider your eligibility for care and support under the Care Act 2014.

Eligibility for funded care under the Care Act 2014

You may be eligible for care funded, in whole or in part, by the council under the Care Act 2014.

This applies if a physical or mental impairment or illness means you cannot do at least 2 of the activities below and this has a significant impact on wellbeing:

• manage and maintain nutrition
• maintain personal hygiene
• manage toilet needs
• dress appropriately
• use your home safely
• keep your home in a good condition
• keep up relationships
• take part in work, training, education or volunteering
• use local services, such as public transport and leisure facilities
• look after any children you care for

You may be seen as "unable" to do 1 or more of the above if you cannot do it without support, or if attempting to do it:

• causes pain, distress or anxiety
• puts you or others at risk
• takes much longer than it usually would

Once we know that you are eligible for care and support under the Care Act we will work with you to create a care and support plan.

Your care and support plan

We recognise that everyone is different, so we will help you to create a plan that reflects your unique goals and wishes.

When your support plan is agreed we will have a clear idea of the help you need and how much this is likely to cost. This is called your personal budget. Find out more about how to pay for long term social care.

Your care and support plan may include:

• how you will stay independent and safe
• what you want to change or achieve
• how your support will be arranged
• support available from family, friends and community groups
• a back-up plan if things change suddenly

It’s important that your plan:

• meets your needs
• stays within your estimated budget
• clearly explains how your support is delivered to achieve your goals
• how your budget will be managed

Your support might be delivered through one or more of the following:

• a direct payment to you, to give you maximum choice and control
• an individual service fund
• services arranged by us

When we review your care and support plan

We know life can change so we will check in with you to see how well your plan is working. We will usually get in touch within the first 6 weeks of a new care and support plan in case any small changes are needed.

After that, we aim to catch up with you once a year, but you can contact us in between if you need to.