Understanding and supporting the needs of carers: The Carers Strategy

Carers Strategy Survey South Gloucestershire Council and South Gloucestershire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) are consulting on three issues that significantly impact on older people’s wellbeing: dementia services and support, falls prevention and bone health, and support for carers.  

Carers will be recognised and valued as being fundamental to strong families and stable communities, and respected as expert partners in care. The council and NHS will work with its own staff and voluntary and community sector groups to identify carers as early as possible in their caring journey. 

We will ensure all carers, whatever their age, have access to information on what is available to support them to stay healthy and to balance their caring responsibilities with a life outside caring. We will continue to ensure carers are partners in the development of services.  Carers are everybody’s business. 

Please view the consultation document or the more concise summary attached to this page for further information. To share your views complete the brief online survey or print off a paper copy.

If you are a young carer or young adult carer please complete the young carers online survey.

Background

There are 27,639 carers in South Gloucestershire. Caring can impact significantly on all aspects of a carer’s life and wellbeing, and it is important that carers receive information and support in their caring role. We know that the number of carers in South Gloucestershire is set to grow

“Anyone can become a carer. Carers come from all walks of life, all cultures and can be of any age. Many feel they are doing what anyone else would in the same situation – looking after their mother, son or best friend, and just getting on with it.” 

Carers, sometimes called family carers, are relatives, friends or neighbours who look after someone who cannot manage at home without them. This could be caring for a relative (a parent, grandparent, sibling, child or other relative) or a spouse, partner or friend who is ill, frail, disabled or who has mental health or substance misuse problems. Carers do not necessarily live with the person they are looking after. 

Our Priorities for Action

We have achieved a lot since our last Joint Carers Strategy 2011 – 2014, but there remains a lot to do to support identify and support carers. Our priorities are taken from The Carers Strategy Second National Action Plan 2014 – 2016, and are as follows:

Priority area 1: Identifying carers at an early stage, recognising their contribution and involving them in designing local care and in planning individual care packages.

Priority area 2: Carers releasing and realising their potential in education and employment.

Priority area 3: Carers having a family and community life alongside caring, personalising support for carers and providing good quality information, advice and support.

Priority area 4: Supporting carers to stay healthy, mentally and physically.

 Find out more and have your say

We welcome comments on all three strategies between Monday 23 May and Tuesday 30 August. We are particularly keen to find out if you feel that all relevant areas are being considered and whether you think there are any specific impacts or alternatives that the council should consider.

This consultation is now closed. The consultation report is available here.

This consultation has now closed and our consultation report is now available.