20/03/2026
Are you a professional deputy, or advise family members who have been appointed as deputies?
Instructing an Independent Social Worker (ISW) can be a useful tool in your bid to ensure client best interests are considered. Especially in cases where family members are appointed as deputies and are paid for their role as carers.
In such cases, an ISW can assist in one of several ways. First, they can assess the cared for person's care and support needs. In order to determine appropriate renumeration for paid family members, it is important to establish the extent of the person's care and support needs. An ISW can also review the person's care each year to determine whether their needs have changed.
Some independent Social Workers have additional skills which can be utilized by professional and family deputies. They can assess mental capacity, opine whether the cared for person may be eligible for Continuing Healthcare (CHC) funding, or subject to a Deprivation of Liberty Order.