What the Care Act Will Mean for You the Council Is Preparing for the Most Significant Changes in Adult Social Care in More Than 60 Years
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Cemetery’s ancient Dog history is revealed walkers urged Thoughtless dog owners to ‘scoop We’r ewatching you! 9 out of 10 dog owners the poop’ clean up after their dog. Are you the one who doesn’t? Keeping promise to Free learning help Bag that poo, any rubbish bin will do Srebrenica mothers p4 p7 for two-year-olds p21 p23 Issue 152 February 2015 Lutonline www.luton.gov.uk Luton Borough Council’s newspaper for local people Twitter: @lutoncouncil Facebook: Luton Council More help to stay well for longer in your own home What the Care Act will mean for you The Council is preparing for the most significant changes in adult social care in more than 60 years. Due to be implemented nationwide from April, the Care Act will bring a sharper focus on ‘preventative’ approaches aimed at helping people stay well in their own homes for longer. Almost all existing adult social care legislation will be replaced, and the Act also introduces a range of new responsibilities for the Council. The changes aim to make care and support services clearer and fairer for everybody, and make it easier for people to plan ahead. New national minimum eligibility criteria will be set for all councils across England, replacing a current system in which each council sets its own criteria for who is or is not eligible for adult social care services. Luton’s informal carers, who look after a friend, relative or neighbour because of ill health, disability or old age, will also benefit by receiving the right to ask for support. Other changes will see increased support through information, advice and advocacy, and the introduction of a cap on care costs to limit the amount individuals have to pay for their own care. The cap, which is currently The Care Act will deliver increased support and a cap limiting the amount individuals have to pay for their own care proposed to be £72,000, is expected to be introduced from April 2016. adult social care for a number of decades and support services. already thinking about your future care The Council has started a public and we are working hard behind the “Our services will not only be needs, it’s important to plan ahead. I information campaign to raise awareness scenes to ensure everything is in place. expanded for current users, but also so encourage people to get in touch or to of the changes so that people can find “While some of the details are still that all Luton residents have access to look at our website to find out more out how the Care Act might affect them being finalised and consulted on at a care services and receive information about what the changes may mean for and start planning ahead. national level, we do know the new focus and advice to make good decisions about you and your family.” Cllr Mahmood Hussain, Portfolio fits well with the Council’s priority of their current or future care needs. ● For more information visit www.luton. Holder for adult social care, said: “The ensuring people stay healthy for longer “Whether you are a current social gov.uk/CareAct, email CareAct@luton. Care Act will bring the biggest reforms to to prevent and delay the need for care care service user, a carer or you are gov.uk or call 01582 547659. www.luton.gov.uk 2 Lutonline February 2015 Lutonline The newspaper of Luton Borough Council Keeping our community safe Main switchboard 01582 54 60 00 Editorial Lutonline welcomes suggestions for content. New web pages to help fight cybercrime 01582 54 74 02 Advertising 01582 54 64 85 [email protected] For information on all Council Bedfordshire Police are urging services visit: people to ‘control, report and www.luton.gov.uk delete’ cybercrime following the Lutonline is delivered to 72,000 homes in launch of a range of advice and the borough. Private advertising keeps resources to help them stay safe production costs to a minimum. while on the internet. Advertising policy The [Ctrl] +[Rpt] +[Del] campaign Whilst we welcome paid advertising into Lutonline, aims to educate people on how to avoid the Council does not represent or endorse the falling victim to internet criminals. accuracy, quality or reliability of any advertised Detective Superintendent Jon Gilbert, products, services or companies, nor claims by such advertisements. The Council does not accept any leading the force’s cybercrime team, to. We want to raise awareness of the responsibility or liability in relation to any products, said: “Over the next month we will be ways that victims can report these to the services, information or other materials purchased highlighting through our website and various agencies. If you are a victim of or obtained in connection with any of these our social media channels different cybercrime, you should report it quickly advertisements. forms of online crime and ways to as the authorities could help support Conditions of acceptance of advertising can be prevent it. you. found at www.luton.gov.uk by searching ‘Lutonline “We have called our campaign [Ctrl] “We also need people who think they terms and conditions’. The Council has the right to +[Rpt] +[Del] because we want people decline advertising approaches that do not support have been affected by cybercrime to its corporate values. to take control of the information come forward and let us know what has and images they put online to protect happened. By publicising how these themselves from scams, phishing and Det Supt Jon scams work, we can warn other people harassment; report any cybercrime Gilbert is and make sure no-one else falls victim they are aware of and delete the leading the to the same scam twice.” opportunities for criminals to use the fight against To find out more about how you can internet for crime. cybercrime in protect yourself and report cybercrime “Cybercrime is one of the fastest Bedfordshire visit www.bedfordshire.police.uk growing criminal activities across the of fraud, or a recognised online payment world, involving more than just the service such as PayPal. Avoid paying ● If you want to report a cybercrime, online fraud and cyber bullying that is by money transfers or direct banking or if you suspect someone of LoveLove to tovisit often in the news. transactions which can be unsecure. illegal online activity, please call “We have set up a range of useful web Never send confidential personal or Bedfordshire Police in confidence pages to help people protect themselves financial information by email. on 101 or text information to 07786 and fight back against cybercrime. “Cybercrime is very under-reported, 200011. Alternatively you can visitparks! parks? “For example if you are shopping with victims often feeling embarrassed contact the independent crime- online, always use either your credit because they have been scammed online fighting charity Crimestoppers, card, which offers you protection in case or not knowing who to report the crime anonymously, on 0800 555111. a number of partner organisations get involved in the programme. including the Council, Luton Clinical Flying Start is also looking to work Commissioning Group, Luton and with Luton schools and young people in Leader’s Dunstable Hospital, Cambridge preparing them as parents of the future. Community Service, Bedfordshire More good news came as six Luton Police, London Luton Airport Ltd schools earned the Primary Science and the University of Bedfordshire, Quality Mark in December. column all working together to integrate the Denbigh, Pirton Hill, The Meads and Cllr Hazel delivery of services. Downside primary schools, together Together, we have created a variety with Sundon Park Junior and Williams Simmons of programmes and pilot schemes, and Austin Infant schools, all undertook ThereThere areare in in excess excess of also training opportunities for all staff a year-long programme encouraging 19 million visits to parks and supporting families with young children. pupils to plan experiments and other of 19 million visits to Giving Luton’s These include the key initiative ‘Five investigations to find answers to their open space in Luton each year* children the best to Thrive’, developed and tested to train own questions. parks and open space start in life is practitioners to support parents to The award aims to raise the profile Keep fit, meet friends crucial if we want practice five activities with their baby. of the subject by utilising the natural in Luton each year to develop happy The vital activities – responding, curiosity of young children. Eight Luton or just chill out in your and successful cuddling, relaxing, playing and talking – schools have now achieved the mark, young people. So help parents develop strong attachments and a further six are working towards it Keeplocal fit, park meet today friends it’s great news with their babies and help young this year. that the Flying Start programme has children’s brains develop healthily. Not only is the scheme making a real *Figuresor just provided chill by Greenspace out –in calculated your from recently been launched for the borough. At the heart of Flying Start are difference to the quality of teaching GreenSTAT national dataset Flying Start is the name of Luton’s parents and the community, who are in Luton, it is also preparing children local park today primary prevention and early central to shaping and improving how to live in a world where science and Tell us what you think about intervention strategy, and delivers we deliver the services. technology will play an increasingly significant changes to how we support We will focus on harnessing and important role. your local park at mothers and families from during developing the skills and passion www.GreenSTAT.org.uk pregnancy to a child’s fourth birthday.