Carers

Help is available if you look after relatives and friends who need regular and substantial care at home due to illness or disability.

Who is a Carer and who can be a carer?

Carers are people who:

Look after someone who is dependent on them for regular and substantial help with daily living needs.
Feel a responsibility for the person in need of care.
Have their own life restricted in some way because of their caring role.
Have their own needs and aspirations outside of the caring situation.
It is also possible for a person who is already a Social Services service user to be a carer if they contribute to the care of another person.

A carer does not have to be living with the person they care for, and they do not have to be the sole carer.

Carers are entitled to an assessment which will look at what help can be offered to help them continue caring. If you would like an assessment please contact Social Services Helpdesk.

Carers can be:

Family
Friends
Neighbours. Neighbours are the majority providers of Community Care

Our Carer Policy

We will:

Provide clear guidance for carers, staff and agencies about the way we work
Help professionals to fulfill our obligations under relevant legislation and to recognize carers and the contribution they make
Pursue corporate values to ensure that work with carers is open, honest, confidential and fair.
Provide guidance for carers to access information and services
Promote effective service delivery
Ensure carers are able to make their needs known to us so that they can access appropriate support
Offer a range of support options which meet carers needs and encourage further development of provision within the statutory, voluntary and independent sectors.
Strive to identify and support young carers
Accept carer feedback about services and the way they are delivered, working to improve those that do not meet carers needs
Continuously promote good practice for carers within the statutory, voluntary and independent sectors
Strive to meet nationally identified standards of good practice for working with carers

Listening to You

We want to hear from groups who represent Carers and their views.

If you would like to contribute to our consultation process contact the Principal Officer Operations on 01202 261008.

Improving Services for Carers

We regularly ask carers how they would like their services to be improved. During Carers Week 2008 we consulted with carers and carried out a survey about developing different options for a carers centre. A mail version of the survey was also sent to 1700 carers who were registered with both Bournemouth and Poole. Feedback from this questionnaire is available on this link link will open in new window .

Resources for carers

A number of resources for carers exist locally. Many of these resources are managed by charities and some are funded wholly or partly by us.

Carers support - groups, training, events and outings.
Help and Care/Carerslink. Help and Care provides a range of services to carers and older people. Help and Care also provides free fact sheets to carers or professionals working and will signpost you to another agency if they are more appropriate to deal with your enquiry. For more information e-mail contact@helpandcare.org or telephone 0300 111 3303, 9am-5pm Monday to Thursday and 10am to 4.30pm on Friday.
Help and Care Short Break Service. By registering with this service, carers looking after someone who lives in Poole can receive up to 10 hours per month of subsidised short break care. The care is provided by trained and police checked care attendants and is subsidised by us so that a carer or cared for person only pays a small percentage of the service costs. The cared for person can be taken out, or looked after in their own home. Overnight sessions of care are also available. Prices start at £2.00 per hour. For more information e-mail contact@helpandcare.org or telephone 0300 111 3303 during weekdays 10am - 1pm.
Handivan. Provides low cost repairs to people over 60 years or carers of any age. A small annual subscription is payable by people who register with the scheme. Telephone 0300 111 3303.
Moving On. A Help and Care service providing support for people wishing to move home. For futher details contact the Help and Care Helpdesk on 0300 111 3303.
Emotional Support for Carers - the Bournemouth and Poole Multi Agency Carers Strategy Group have produced a directory of emotional support for carers. The directory list a number of organisations you may wish to contact to take advantage of their services. If you wish to add an organisation not currently listed please email Linda Larcombe at l.larcombe@poole.gov.uk

Some services for clients may help you as a carer:

Additional Services for carers

Sometimes carers need additional help to maintain the caring situation, their work, or family commitments. Special grants are available to meet these needs. Grants and services can also be provided to someone who is looking after a person who is refusing help from Social Services. Carers should ask their care manager or Helpdesk about carers services grant funding if they feel they have needs that cannot be met from the usual resources.