The Disabled Children and Young Person's team will support children or young people from birth up to 25 years of age who have a diagnosed disability and the primary need of the child or young person relates to their disability. In doing so the team will also consider what support is required to the individual's parents, carers and any other children within the household, taking a whole family approach informed by a social work assessment. 

All referrals to the Disabled Children and Young People's Team should be made via the MASH Team, this includes requests for short breaks. A number of partner agencies are represented in the MASH and can access a wide spectrum of information and subject this to Multi agency screening and analysis to determine the most appropriate service/s to support.

For Young people aged between 18-25, referrals should be made via the Single point of contact, Customer services.

Contact

• Telephone: 01902 555392
• Website

The core purpose of the Wolverhampton Virtual School is to improve the educational experiences and outcomes of our children and young people in care, previously in care, and other vulnerable groups of young people. 

They are a team of highly qualified, experienced and dedicated educational professionals. Working with all relevant partners in education, health and social care to ensure that our children’s opportunities in school are the best they can be.

Contact 

• Telephone: 01902 556951
• E-mail: virtual.school@wolverhampton.gov.uk
• Website

When either a child or a young carer approaches their 18th birthday, they may ask for an assessment. A parent or carer may also ask for an assessment as the child they are caring for approaches 18.

As in all assessments, local authorities will need to consider the needs of the person, what needs they are likely to have when they (or the child they care for) turn 18, and the outcomes they want to achieve in life.

Visit Children with disabilities to view Preparing for adulthood information which explains the move between children’s social care services into adult social care services.

Provides a social work service to younger adults who have serious and complex physical disabilities such as multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, spinal injuries, motor neurone disease or head injuries.

Their aim is to provide services which make you as independent as possible in your own home.  They can also help if you need permanent residential or nursing care, or if you need to give your main carer a short break.

Contact 

• Physical and sensory: 01902 553653
• Learning and disability: 01902 556780
• Textphone: 01902 553677
• Email: ssdisabilityteam@wolverhampton.gov.uk
• Website

The carer support workers specialise in supporting carers of all ages including parent carers, young carers (up to the age of 18 who help care for someone within their family) and adult carers.  The person that you look after may have a mental health need, learning disability, physical and sensory disability or may be an older, vulnerable person.

The role supports informal carers across the city. Parents/ informal carers are entitled to a carers conversation which involves a chat about the caring role and looks to offer information, advice, guidance and explore any services that may be available to access for the carer. This can include:

• Regular newsletters and updates
• Signposting to places to go, including specialist activities 
• Access to the short breaks caravan 
• Carer emergency cards
• Benefits and financial support advice
• Emotional support
• Carer training
• Carer Support Coffee and Chat groups

The service can be accessed directly, and self-referrals are welcome.

Contact 

• Website
• Telephone: 01902 553409
• E-mail: carer.support@wolverhampton.gov.uk
• Follow us on Twitter, and Instagram: @WolvesCarers

Young Carers are children and young people up to the age of 18 who help care for someone within their family. This may be because of a physical disability, mental health condition, learning disability, substance misuse, sensory impairment or any long-term illness or condition. 

It’s not always easy being a young carer, you often have to take on adult responsibilities that can affect your friendships and relationships, learning and development, health and wellbeing or future career choices.

How Wolverhampton Young Carers can help you

You may be able to access a Young Carers conversation, receive information and advice about being a young carer, and talk to a carer support worker. 

Most importantly they can keep you up to date with events and activities going on for young people and families in Wolverhampton with the seasonal newsletter, giving you the opportunity to make new friends and have fun away from your caring role.

Contact 

• Telephone: 01902 553409
• E-mail: carer.support@wolverhampton.gov.uk
• Website
• Follow us on Twitter, and Instagram: @WolvesCarers

Part 3 of the Children Act 1989 gives individuals with parental responsibility for a disabled child the right to an assessment of their needs by a local authority. Local authorities must assess on the appearance of need, as well as on request, and must explicitly have regard to the wellbeing of parent carers in undertaking an assessment of their needs. 

A care and support assessment is an opportunity for Adult Social Care to discuss your care and support needs and help you maintain your well-being and independence. Everyone is entitled to this free service however you may have to pay for any services offered afterwards. To find out more visit Request a care assessment.

Short breaks provide invaluable support for disabled children, young people and their families. While children are given opportunities to become more independent, have fun, enjoy new experiences, form friendships with their peers; their families are able to take time out of their caring role.

This can include daytime, evening, weekend and overnight stay for buddying, outreach and group activities. They can take place in the child's own home, a family-based setting, a residential, educational or community setting, or in their local environment. 

All requests for short breaks will need to be made via the Multi-agency safeguarding hub (MASH), which may result in the completion of a Family and Carers Assessment to determine if additional or specialist support is needed. The need for overnight provision will always need an assessment to be completed. A social worker will need to be the primary worker for all children/young people who receive an overnight short break under Section 20 of the Children Act 1989.

Short breaks duty statement 

This will soon be made available to view in April 2025.

Short breaks offer

This will soon be made available to view on the Local Offer. Currently we have Short Breaks and Respite Statement.

An assessment will be needed with Disabled Children and Young People's Team or Adults social care for Physical and sensory disabilities service to see if you may be eligible for provision social care offer through direct payments.

Direct Payments is a sum of money to manage the budget for social care services. This provides people who need care services more choice and control over how their needs are met and the way services they receive are delivered. Currently, Direct Payments can be used to buy any type of care and support that your child is assessed as requiring in the community. 

Direct payments for children’s services

Direct payments for adult services 

The City of Wolverhampton Council may provide financial support (subject to a financial assessment in most cases) for residents who require help with paying for their eligible care and support needs.   For young people aged 18 and over there is an financial contribution expected unless a person is exempt to pay towards the cost of their care and support to find out more visit Paying for care and support at home.

You might choose to employ a personal assistant if you receive money from the City of Wolverhampton Council in the form of direct payment or a personal budget to help you in your home or community. 

Hiring a PA may help provide you with more choice and control over how your support needs are met. However, taking on a PA turns you (as a direct payments holder) into an employer with all the legal, financial and practical issues that has.

What is a personal assistant?

A personal assistant (PA) is someone employed by the family or young disabled person to help with day-to day living.

It is not a care role in the traditional sense and can involve personal care as well as many other tasks that you decide need doing.

What support can a Personal Assistant provide?

A personal assistant can help an employer with basic aspects of their care. This could include help with:

• Personal care
• Preparing meals
• Getting dressed
• Taking medication
• Getting to school or college

You should be able to review this regularly to ensure that your child’s or young person’s needs are being met in the best way possible.

How do I recruit a Personal Assistant?

You may choose to employ your own Personal Assistant. If you do, Barrie Bookkeeping can give you as much support as you need to help you use your Direct Payment. 

The support service is independent of the Council and has a contract with the Council to provide support to people who choose to use Direct Payments. 

• The support service specialises in this advice and will provide support and information on all aspects of Direct Payments and how to be a good employer. 
   
• They will be able to keep you up to date with changes in employment legislation and developments within independent living that may be of benefit to you when choosing to use your own staff.  
   
• They will provide you with a factsheet pack to give you some guidance on becoming a good employer, how to keep safe and how to use Direct Payments.

City of Wolverhampton Council strongly recommends that you use the support of Barrie Bookkeeping when using your direct payment to employ Personal Assistants. Should you choose not to use Barrie Bookkeeping, you MUST inform the social worker who is supporting you. 

If you’re looking to employ a PA yourself 

If you’re looking to employ a PA yourself, a job description will help people who are interested in applying to get a clear understanding of what the job involves.

Think about exactly what help you need before you employ someone or sign a contract with an agency. It may be helpful to think about a typical day for you to write a job description. 

If you are recruiting for a PA to support a child under the age of eight you will also need to adhere to the registered childminder regulations.

To find out about whether you are eligible to access Direct Payments and view factsheets and guides about employing a Personal Assistant through the use of Direct Payment, Adult Social Care please visit Direct payments.

For further guidance about employing a PA please visit Skills for Care or Scope.

Independent Living Service is a part of City of Wolverhampton Councils Social care service with a team of Occupational Therapist, Visual Rehabilitation Officers and Hearing Impairment Technician.

If you feel you have care and support needs, please contact the Wolverhampton Independent Living Service.

Also known as domiciliary care, this is the delivery of a range of personal care and support services to individuals in their own homes.

The council work with a number of providers to help people stay in their own home whilst receiving care services. To find out more about the service and criteria for accessing this support visit Personal care providers.