Adult Social Care includes a range of personal and practical help for people over the age of 18 who need support, to stay as healthy and independent as possible, to stay included in their local community and to maintain contact with their families and friends.
Adult Social Care also provides support to carers, whether or not they live with the person they care for.
We can provide information and advice about Adult Social Care to anyone who feels that they need it. You can search our Adult Social Care Community Directory for voluntary groups, organisations, social clubs, charities and social enterprises in Bedford Borough.
You can also make contact by making an enquiry using the online form below:
Adult social care general enquiry
Or, by making contact with our Adult Services Contact Team on 01234 276168 for all enquiries for older people, people with a physical disability or long term condition or people with a learning disability.
We will ask you what help you think you might need, or what might make your life easier. We will do some, or all of the following:
You can call the following teams between 9am and 5pm Monday to Thursday and 9am and 4pm Friday, for advice, information or to ask for support:
Safeguarding Team 01234 276222
Adult Services Contact Team 01234 276168
For after-hours emergencies please call 0300 300 8123
If you are over the age of 18 and live in Bedford Borough you can ask for an assessment, regardless of your financial situation. An assessment is a conversation with you to work out if you are eligible to receive assistance from us. If a particular service is recommended to meet your needs, you may have to pay some, or all of the cost, but this will depend on your financial situation and on the type of service.
The short video below describes what you can expect from us:
Adult social care jargon buster - a plain English guide to the most commonly used social care words and phrases and what they mean. The definitions were developed and tested by a steering group that included people who use services, carers, representatives from local authorities, information providers and key stakeholders from across the social care sector. Copyright Think Local Act Personal.
An advocate is someone trained to listen and help you to speak up. They are not usually legally trained. An advocate is a support to you and they will speak with you, or if you want, speak for you. Their loyalty is with you.
If you need help to make a complaint or to receive the services you need, then having an advocate who understands the system, and is there to support you, can be a great help.
The short video below describes how someone can speak on your behalf and help you to get your voice heard:
VoiceAbility provides independent advocacy services in Bedford Borough.
To find out more visit the VoiceAbility website. You can also phone 0300 303 1660 or email helpline@voiceability.org.