A carer can be anyone who provides unpaid care to a relative, close friend or neighbour because of illness, mental ill-health, dementia, disability, or older age. It is something that many of us will experience during our lifetime, nevertheless it is difficult to prepare for due to the unpredictable nature of the caring role.
People who have informal caring responsibilities often do not see this as beyond the boundaries of their personal relationship, and do not self-identify with the term “carer” or seek support, making it difficult to offer timely and relevant support. Under the Care Act 2014 all carers have rights to an assessment of their needs and a care and support plan. The carers support service support carers to identify positively with their caring role and have awareness of their rights.
The Local Picture for Carers
In 2019 the five-year East Riding of Yorkshire Carers Strategy was developed with system partners. The aim of the strategy was to focus on the experience of unpaid carers. The following vision statement within the strategy set the tone of the document and the driving force behind it:
Following the 2021 census the following information is available:
The direction of travel
We are aware of the increase in people identifying themselves as a carer in the 2021 census who may or may not be actively looking for support and recognise the potential for a great number of carers that are unknown or ‘hidden’ to the carer support service, adult social care, and health colleagues. The carer support service is involved in several initiatives to improve the identification of carers to ensure all carers are aware of their rights to a carers assessment and support plan.
System level engagements to support identifying carers
We are undertaking the following work in collaboration with partners to support the identification of carers:
- We are heavily involved in the development of the employee carer strategy and working with the business community to support carers in the workplace
- Identifying cross boundary carers with reciprocal arrangements and agreements in place with other councils
- The service has received 3 invitations to present the carer support service offer at primary care networks ‘protected time for learning’ to improve identifying carers and sharing information
- Carer pack of information to be available in health, council, and community services.
- Developments in digital resources, Your Life Your Way website. Data capture will determine the most commonly visited pages to build a pen picture for future demand management and to support content around events.
The voice of carers
There are currently four carer peer groups situated in Pocklington, Beverley, Market Weighton and Goole. We are currently looking to support groups to develop in the Hornsea and Bridlington areas. These groups hold monthly meetings and feedback is collated to inform the carer advisory group monthly meeting.
The members of the carer advisory group are made up of carers, the nominated representatives of the aforementioned peer groups and health, social care, and voluntary and community service professionals. As a group we are currently looking at ways we can refresh the way forward for the group to ensure the focus remains on the voice of carers to inform the professionals, rather than a professionals meeting to which carers are invited.
We continue to develop an evidence and intelligence led service by amplifying the voice of carers to know ourselves well to identify, support and represent carers in all service design and development.
