Local authority social services have a wide variety of areas of work including:

• Housing -including adaptations or property designed for disabled tenants.
• Adults with physical or mental health problems.
• Day care.

Stroke patients and carers can ask for help. This could be for the person or for the carer in their own right. Social work or social care teams can be contacted on your behalf by a health care professional such as ,GP, practice nurse, stroke nurse, carer organisation or voluntary sector worker.  Alternatively carers can contact the social work team themselves by looking up the phone number for council social services or social work in the telephone directory. An assessment is usually carried out in your own home where you can discuss any aspect of care you are finding difficult or to put into place any emergency plan should the carer become unwell. They will advise you of services available to you and any cost involved. Self directed support may be available. This involves getting direct payments to arrange the care you want for yourself.

All local authority staff should carry identification. If you are not sure who the person is ask to see their ID.

The following pages list just some of the professionals who may be involved in social care.