DO

• Come prepared, having read the notes
• Be honest, show empathy and listen carefully Be friendly and professional so I can trust and have confidence in you
• Explain what a carers assessment is (that it’s about my needs, not an assessment of my caring ability)
• Prioritise the person I care for and make sure you listen to them
• Find out about the situation on a bad day – to understand fluctuating needs
• See me as an asset, part of a support network helping to support the person I care for
• Be knowledgeable of services and suggest options that might help
• Talk about what can be done, rather than what can’t
• See beyond me as just a carer
• Give me a contact number and a name of a person I can get hold of
• Write a summary of what has happened so other people can prepare themselves before visiting

DON’T

• Appear to be, or be in a rush Use jargon or buzzwords (in writing or speaking)
• Make assumptions about what I like or can do Be afraid of saying “I’ll get back to you as I don’t know the answer”
• Make promises you can’t keep
• ‘Signpost’ me endlessly with no result – help me use the information that you can give me.

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