The First Response team is the first point of contact for all new referrals coming into Adult Social Care, the reporting of Safeguarding Adult Concerns and the Local Authority’s duty for the provision of the AMHP service to coordinate assessments under the Mental Health Act (1983 as amended 2007).

Triaging social care referrals

The primary role of the First Response team is to triage social care referrals and to conduct assessments to establish eligibility in line with statutory requirements using the appropriate legal frameworks; Care Act 2014, Mental Health Act 1983 (as amended 2007) and Mental Capacity Act 2005. The team consists of Social Care Advisors, Care Managers (Qualified and unqualified Social Workers) an Occupational Therapy service (OT) and a dedicated Approved Mental Health Professional (AMHP).

Role and responsibility

The team are responsible for ensuring all initial assessments for adults and consequent service provision meet the Council’s statutory responsibilities, including the responsibility to promote an individual’s well-being. The team has a key role in appropriately managing the demand on Adult Social Care, promoting the Information, Advice and Guidance offer, ensuring all contacts and assessments fully utilise Strengths Based Approaches, crisis resolution and short term intervention work which seek to empower individuals, carers and families to lead as independent lives as possible.