Carer not turning up

[Awakeatnite]

she is a carer and works for the local authority. Last week, she didn’t turn up at all or make contact. This isn’t the first time. I called her office to ask her to contact me on Monday, and it’s now Tuesday with no contact.
I’m not sure why they think this is ok and haven’t made provisions so that it doesn’t happen again? Something has to change. This is unacceptable and needs to stop.
I’m not sure what the next steps are

Who employs her? You need to speak to her employer about this. Not turning up isn't acceptable obviously.

I'm guessing though that's she's not essential? That you can manage without her? Can you tell us a bit more please?

How do I find out who employs her? It’s the local authority but I don’t have specific names.
She is essential

If she's essential then how have you been managing without her?

It depends how you define essential and manage.
she helps with not being isolated in the community. So without her I don’t see anyone. She helps me with communicating, and is supposed to make sure that I’m taking care of myself and not slipping into a deep depression again.
she was also supposed to laise with her colleagues who have other roles but hasn’t.
I don’t need her for physically cooking or washing

She is likely to work for an agency. DS2 has a carer/outreach worker who takes him out walking and while I might liaise with her for times and dates when he gets increased hours in school holidays or she offers a different slot because the family of her other client is rather flaky or the weather forecast is dreadful, the final details are confirmed by her boss.

Who arranged the carer visits for you? If you don't know who they report to do you have a social worker or similar thst you can raise the issue with?

I’ve just updated my comment. It might have been the social worker who arranged it but they are uncontactable and I haven’t heard from them in a few months. I did try to contact them recently but haven’t heard. So I need to try and contact someone else

That is a bizarre and intrusive question. Are you disputing OP's need for a carer? She has explained all you need to know but equally she could have needed the help with personal hygiene and now be uncomfortable or running out of clean clothes or plates because this carer helps her to keep on top of basic domestic stuff. Whatever the role, someone is paying for it and it's not being done.

Your best bet is probably straight to social care at your local authority, then. If your own social worker is off sick or has left then your case should have been assigned to someone else.

You’ve described the situation well she is supposed to help me with a lot of things

You have the number for her office so I would call back and if she is not available ask to speak to her supervisor or explain to whoever answers that she didn't contact you the last time you called and that you really need someone to come out to you. It's really not good enough that you are being left like this.

Who are the colleagues she is meant to liaise with but hasn't? Do they support you in other ways? Could they contact her?

I would call the duty team at the council and raise this as a safeguarding concern as you have been neglected. I’m not 100% sure but you should be able to call the duty team at any time, day or night.

did You tell her office she hadn’t been for a few days or just ask thst she contact you? I have heard stories in the past where carers didn’t turn up but didn’t inform their employers so they had no way of knowing, assumed they were working snd the carer still got paid. If they know she is off they should be sending a replacement if they are still being paid by the local authority.

If you have a named social worker, contact them again. If not or you get no response (they may have left or moved you to a general list) then contact the adult social care department at your local council.

You can then find out who is responsible for arranging your care and when you speak to them, find out what you should do if a call is missed. If the council don’t think you are registered with them (e.g. if it wasn’t them that set up the visits or if their plan was for the visits to be short-term) then ask them to carry out a needs assessment for you.

It’s been sorted now

Great news. Hopefully you'll not be left in the lurch again.

Yes, contacting the social worker is the best bet, particularly if the OP doesn't have a contact number for the council's Home Care Manager.

ETA Have just seen the update. Good.