The Skilled Conversation (Parent Carers)

The Skilled Conversation with a parent carer going through transition is, on the whole, the same as the Skilled Conversation that you would have when undertaking an adult carer's assessment, therefore the main carer's procedure should be used.

See: The Skilled Conversation (Carers).

The child's carer's assessment process is an excellent opportunity to provide good information and advice to the parent carer, which can support them to think about what their future needs are likely to be and the various ways that may be available to meet them, but you should remember that this is not the purpose of a transition assessment.

You should therefore only:

1. talk through ways that the parent carer may be able to meet their own likely needs (either independently or through their own support and community networks);
2. provide information and advice about prevention services that may be available that could delay, reduce or prevent likely needs for support; and
3. provide broad information about some of the ways that the Local Authority may be able to meet likely needs if they are found eligible at the time the cared for person becomes 18.

If the child's carer's assessment identifies that the parent carer has current unmet needs, it is the responsibility of Children's Services to meet those needs until the cared for person is 18.