Carers Support Centre
Apohsis pleased to be working with the Carers Support Centre and Alliance Living, who are highly experienced and can provide practical solutions to help working carers manage their work and caring role better. This is a new support service and they have immediate capacity to help you.
Who is a carer?
A carer is someone who provides unpaid help and support to another person who could not cope without their help. This could be due to age, physical or mental illness, disability or addiction.
A carer may be apartner, child, relative, friend or neighbour. Carers will be of all ages and situations, for example,ayoung carerwho cares for a parent or sibling or aparent carerof adisabled child.
A carer often does not realise they are a carer and can struggle to tell someone they are finding it difficult to cope. A carer is not necessarily the closest relative of a patient or their next of kin.
Supporting you to manage working and caring
Over 3 million unpaid family carers in the UK combine work with caring for someone who is ill or disabled. We know this can be extremely difficult. Without the right support, the strain of caring and working can force carers to reduce their working hours, or leave employment altogether.
Support available to you:
- Explaining employment rights and options.
- Negotiating flexible working arrangements, such as flexible start and finish times; reduced or annualised hours; term time working, job sharing and part time working; home working.
- 1-2-1 support from the project support worker.
- Providing information, advice and signposting about a range of services able to support you as a carer.
- Trialing new technology and initiatives.
- Providing carers training to help you manage your caring role better.
- Carer networks, for mutual support.
Additional support
Caring can be physically and emotionally demanding. There are benefits and services available to help you in your role at home and at work.
Carers assessment
A carers' assessment is an assessment of the carers' needs and considers not only what care the carer provides, but also the physical and psychological impact it has on them. It also looks at what help and support the carer is entitled to so that they can better continue in their caring role and achievethe things they want to achieve day-to-day.
All carers are entitled to a Carers Assessment and local authorities nowhave a legal duty to assess any carer who requests one or who appears to need support.The Carers in Paid Employment Project Support Worker at the Carers Support Centre can help you access a carers assessment or you can find more information here
.Emergency card
The Carers Emergency Card is a free service that can provide up to 72 hours of emergency support to the person being cared for in the event of their carer having an accident or emergency.
Carers carry a card which shows their name and a unique identification number. If they have an accident or are taken seriously ill, anyone who finds them can call the emergency phone number on the front of the card. The emergency response team will then react to ensure the person cared for continues to receive the care they need.
There are also some added benefits to the Carers Emergency Card including discounts in shops or attractions. You can find more information about what benefits are included with the Carers Emergency Card and how to apply for the cardhere
Contact the Carers Support Centre
Whether you are new to caring, have been caring for someone for a long time, or just want to find out more about what services and support is available, please contact:
Lynette Thoburn-Perrett
Carers in Paid Employment Project Support Worker
Tel: 0117 958 9985
Email:
UH Bristol Carers Page – HR Web
28th June 2016