Commentary on Sections Section 17 – Provision of information, advice and assistance
26.Section 17 places a duty on local authorities to secure the provision of an information, advice and assistance service. The purpose of the service is to provide people with information and advice relating to care and support, including support for carers, and to provide assistance to them in accessing it. Information, advice and assistance must be provided in a manner that makes it accessible to the individual for whom it is intended.
27.Information and advice is to be made available to all people regardless of whether they have needs for care and support. Such persons could include carers or interested parties, for example.
28.The service must include information (including, but not limited to, financial information) and advice about the care and support system provided for under the Act, the types of care and support available in a local authority area and how to access it, and how to raise concerns about people who appear to have needs for care and support, or support.
29.LHBs and National Health Service (NHS) Trusts are under a duty to facilitate the service by providing the local authority with information about the care and support that they provide.
30.Two or more local authorities may jointly secure the provision of an information, advice and assistance service.
31.This section replaces and expands the duties in section 1(2) of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970 and paragraph 1(2) of Schedule 2 to the Children Act 1989.