CARA (Charity No. 1135610) provides specialist services in Community Care law. We are able to advise anyone living in the United Kingdom. We work at the Specialist Help level for Community Care law and are expecting to obtain the Quality Mark during the next few months. We are one of the few organisations providing Community Care Advice service in the UK.

Our Community Care law work focuses on meeting the needs of those who are disabled or ill, and the needs of older people or children in need, by obtaining assessments, challenging assessments where appropriate, and ensuring that services and facilities are provided in accordance with those assessments in a way that meets the needs of clients. We deal with cases involving phsysical disability and illness, mental health problems, and learning difficulties. Our work also covers hospital discharge and post-discharge care arrangements, primary and at home medical care, support issues such as domestic help, carers' issues, and the provision of adaptation and suitable housing for those in need.

We specialise in advocacy and representation and, where necessary, and we can refer cases to Solicitors and Baristers who can take judicial review proceedings in the High Court. We will also be able to advise or assist with other areas of law that are related to an individual's Community Care needs such as housing, welfare benefits, education, employment, discrimination and immigration issues. We undertake a significant amount of work related to accessing Social Services and National Asylum Support Servcies for people with serious medical problems like those suffering from HIV/AIDS, cancers, stroke, etc.

We liaise with national and local organisations in pursuing campaigns and issues to try to improve the quality of services offered to clients and to establish rights and areas of entitlement to services.

If you think that you will need an appointment or representation then either telephone our reception on +44 (0) 844 478 0015 - Mob: +44 (0) 795 695 2645 - Fax: +44 (0) 872 115 8436 - E-mail: info@cara-online.org. or drop into CARA's office. You will be given an appointment with the Community Care Adviser, or he will arrange to call you to discuss the case. But please note that we will only advise you if you live in the UK-wide.

CARA will also be writing a range of leaflets on common Community Care Law Issues. These can be downloaded from this website or collected from CARA. If you need an interpreter please let us know so that we can arrange for one to be present at any interview.

Community Care team members
The team consists of two people.

Mr Abdilahi Dahir Nur, DipSW BA (Hon's) LL.M. - Community Legal Adviser
Mr Nur is an experienced solicitor who has practiced for many years in Community Care law. As a lawyer and qualified Social Worker from the Metropolitan Univeristy (England), he has extensive experience of challenging the decisions of public authorities using judicial review proceedings, and he has taken part in public enquiries in Community Care law and associated areas.

Mr Jean-Paul LAWRENCE TAMPU-EYA, BA (Hon's) LL.B. LL.M. PhD (Law Res.)-Community Legal Adviser
Mr Tampu-Eya has been specialised in Community Care work for the last four years, and therefore has built up significant expertise in this area of law.