Social Services and Well-Being (Wales) Act 2014
The Act came into force in April 2016 and means that councils must provide information, support and services in the way that the Act sets out.
The Act gives individuals and their carers more of a say in the care and support they receive. To support you to achieve wellbeing, you and your family or carer will make decisions about your care and support in equal partnership with professionals. To help you to do so, you will have easy access to information and advice about what is available in your area.
A new assessment process for care and support will be based on what matters to you as an individual. It will consider your personal strengths and the support available to you from your family, friends and others in the community.
The Act focuses on helping people to stay well, to be safe from harm, to be as independent as possible and to be supported within and by their local community.
It has five principles:
- Promoting Wellbeing: Working with you to understand what matters to you and helping you achieve what is important for your wellbeing
- Voice and control: Putting you at the centre of your care; giving you a voice in making decisions about your life and control over reaching the outcomes that matter to you
- Prevention and early intervention: Increasing preventative services within the community to help you to keep well and help us to know when you may need extra support to prevent problems reaching a critical stage
- Coproduction: Providing opportunities for you to be involved in how your care and support is designed and provided
- Collaboration: Strong partnership working between the various organisations and people that support you, helping you live the life you choose for longer
The video 'What matters to you, matters to us' gives you a useful insight into the Act, how it works and how it will affect you.
More information about the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act can be found by clicking the following links:
Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act - What does this mean for me?
Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act - Care and support in Wales is changing
Social Services & Well-being (Wales) Act from Fran O'Hara on Vimeo.