If you ask for help from your local social services department (Social Work Department in Scotland or Department of Health and Social Services in Northern Ireland), remember that they are required to assess your own needs as well as the needs of the person you care for.

If you want to work, they must take this into account when they assess the services they can offer. They may be able to:

• provide direct support, for example, home care or a day centre place;
• provide you with direct payments to buy your own support ;
• tell you about registered and approved private care facilities; and 
• tell you about local or national organisations or groups that can help.

Making alternative care arrangements so that you can work can create conflict and/or cause feelings of guilt. However, what you decide must be right for you as well as for others. You have the right to choose – and that means to choose to give up work, as well as to stay.