Adult Carer Support Plans and Young Carer Statements 2019/2020 and 2020/2021

The request was refused by Dumfries and Galloway Council.

Carers Trust Scotland

Dear Dumfries and Galloway Council,

Cross Party Group on Carers requests the following recorded information under the terms of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002.

The Carers (Scotland) Act 2016 provides a duty on local authorities to prepare an Adult Carer Support Plan (ACSP) (Section 6) or young carer statement (YCS) (Section 12) for anyone they identify as a carer, or for any carer who requests one.

Carers (Scotland) Act 2016 Statutory Guidance directly states in relation to ACSP:

“Where a person self-identifies as a carer they may request an adult carer support plan (ACSP). If they appear to meet the definition of carer, the responsible local authority must prepare an ACSP.

When carers are identified by practitioners, whether in the community or acute
settings, they must be offered an ACSP. If they accept the offer the responsible
local authority must prepare an ACSP.”

Carers (Scotland) Act 2016 Statutory Guidance also directly states in relation to YCS:

“Where a young person self-identifies as a carer they may request a young carer statement (YCS). If they appear to meet the definition of a young carer, the responsible authority must prepare a YCS.

When a young carer is identified by practitioners, whether in the community or acute settings, they must be offered a YCS. If they accept the offer the responsible authority must prepare a YCS.”

However, at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic the Coronavirus Act 2020 (temporary legislation) was introduced, which allowed local authorities to ease some assessment duties. Section 16 of the Act allowed for temporary relaxation of local authorities duties in relation to preparation of adult carer support plans/young carer statements under the Carers (Scotland) Act 2016.

Please indicate the following:
A. Exact number of ACSPs that have been completed in financial year 2019/2020.
B. Exact number of ACSPs that have been completed in financial year 2020/2021.
C. Exact number of carers with completed ACSPs in financial year 2019/2020 that met local eligibility criteria for support.
D. Exact number of carers with completed ACSPs in financial year 2020/2021 that met local eligibility criteria for support.
E. Average timescales from request to completion of ACSPs in financial year 2019/2020.
F. Average timescales from request to completion of ACSPs in financial year 2020/2021.
G. Confirm whether there was a waiting list for ACSPs in financial year 2019/2020 and what the average waiting time was.
H. Confirm whether there was a waiting list for ACSPs in financial year 2020/2021 and what the average waiting time was.
I. Confirm which service/s are responsible for undertaking ACSPs.
J. Exact number of YCSs that have been completed in financial year 2019/2020.
K. Exact number of YCSs that have been completed in financial year 2020/2021.
L. Exact number of young carers with completed YCSs in financial year 2019/2020 that met local eligibility criteria for support.
M. Exact number of young carers with completed YCSs in financial year 2020/2021 that met local eligibility criteria for support.
N. Average timescales from request to completion of YCSs in financial year 2019/2020.
O. Average timescales from request to completion of YCSs in financial year 2020/2021.
P. Confirm whether there was a waiting list for a YCS in financial year 2019/2020 and what was the average waiting time.
Q. Confirm whether there was a waiting list for a YCS in financial year 2020/2021 and what was the average waiting time.
R. Confirm which service/s is responsible for undertaking a YCS.

Yours faithfully,

Carers Trust Scotland, Secretariat on behalf of the Cross Party Group on Carers

Cross Party Group on Carers Co-Convenors: Mark Griffin MSP and Tom Arthur MSP

FOI, Dumfries and Galloway Council

PUBLIC

Good morning,

Thank you for your email, unfortunately, we cannot currently process it as the request is invalid under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002.

We note that whilst an address for correspondence has been provided (email address) there is no full applicant name at the end of your email to make the request valid. As you will appreciate, in such cases we do not want to make an assumption about the true applicant name. This can also affect your ability to appeal to the Scottish Information Commissioner.

The Scottish Information Commissioner advises:
"Where requests are sent by email, the name of the requester should appear in the text of the email, not just in the email address. If the name is not in the body of the email, the request is invalid.However, first names on their own won't be enough."

Kind regards,

Information Governance Team
Dumfries and Galloway Council

Disclaimer:
This email, from Dumfries and Galloway Council, and any files transmitted with it, is confidential and intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed. 

If you are not the intended recipient of this email (and any attachment) please inform the sender by return email and destroy all copies.  If you are not the intended recipient or responsible for delivering it to the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any use, disclosure, review, dissemination, distribution or reproduction of this email is strictly prohibited.  Please be aware that communication by internet email is not secure as messages can be intercepted and read by someone else.  Dumfries and Galloway Council do not accept liability for any loss or damage which may result from this email or any files attached. It is your responsibility to scan this email and any attachments for computer viruses or other defects.

Any email including its content may be monitored and used by the Council for reasons of security and form monitoring internal compliance with the policy on staff use.  Email monitoring or blocking software may also be used.

Any email message sent or received by the Council may require to be disclosed by the Council under the provisions of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002. You can view the Council's privacy statement at www.dumgal.gov.uk/privacy for further information.

PUBLIC

show quoted sections