All Age Carers Strategy

All Age Carers Strategy

We are working with partners across health, social care, the voluntary sector, and Carers themselves to develop and implement annual action plans to achieve the outcomes and priorities set out in this strategy.

Our key priorities

The Vision 

“All Carers, including adult, young adult, young carers and parent carers, will be recognised and valued by the wider community and statutory agencies in Worcestershire, for the support and care they provide to vulnerable adults, children and young people”.    

The strategy is based on the following 4 outcomes that have been agreed with carers and carers’ representatives, which are:  

  • to feel recognised and valued 
  • enabled to have a life of their own 
  • supported with their physical and mental health and wellbeing  
  • caring safely  

The pandemic has made these key outcomes even more important. 

There are also other key issues that Carers shared, such as financial concerns, loneliness and isolation and lack of breaks.   

Other ‘hot topics’ were, maintaining employment, understanding the cared for’s condition, and coming to terms with it, maximising income, contingency and future planning, a whole family approach to assessments for the cared for, and assessments specifically for the carer.  

 

What the council have achieved in Worcestershire

Since the previous Carers Strategy was launched in 2015 carers, commissioners and providers of services have demonstrated good working relationships and have: 

Recognised and Valued 

  • Worcestershire County Council contracted out Worcestershire’s Carers Hub.  This included delegating the duty to carry out Carer Assessments to the contracted carer support provider.  
  • a strength-based approach is used focusing on the skills and assets of the carer.  At the time, this was a new approach and has proved successful for carers, so this approach will continue. 
  • Worcestershire County Council contracted for a carers support service for young carers and young adult carers. 
  • Carers have been involved through the Carers Partnership, consultations on specific projects, participation in Health and Wellbeing and Scrutiny Committee meetings, and have co-produced reports and useful information for carers. 
  • Carer Awareness training has taken place in person and via e-learning modules for professionals.  The e-learning has been updated in line with emerging needs and has been publicised. 

A Life of my own 

  • wide range of support is available to carers through the Carers Hub and the support service for young carers and young adult carers. 
  • training and information sessions run through Carers Hub, including financial matters. 
  • Carer Awareness training made available to professionals via e-learning. 
  • Carers Hub also ran training sessions for a wide range of professionals and organisations. 

Supported with my physical and mental health and wellbeing 

  • personalised support provided to carers through the Carers Hub.  
  • Carers Hub provided a wide range of training specifically on physical and mental health and wellbeing.  This included, managing stress, caring with confidence, managing specific conditions, etc.   
  • local carer support groups are in place across the county (they have been virtual during the COVID 19 pandemic). 
  • Carers Hub provider worked with NHS through the Sustainability and Transformation Partnership (and subsequently Integrated Care System) to promote the needs of carers.  This resulted in a system wide ‘Commitment to Carers’ being agreed. 
  • contract in place for delivery of an advocacy service for Carers, as part of the Care Act advocacy service. 

Staying Safe 

  • Carers are represented on Worcestershire’s Safeguarding Adults Board 
  • Carers Safeguarding Reference Group in place 

Useful links

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