Carers Services

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Are you a carer?

Carers are family members or friends who, without being paid, regularly look after someone who wouldn't be able to manage at home without help. Carers may be adults or young people either living with the person they support or somewhere else.

We offer many different services and types of support for people looking after a family member or friend living in the Royal Borough. We can provide:

• advice and information about local resources and organisations
• short breaks for you and/or the person you look after to give you a rest
• care at home for the person you look after to give you a break
• a 'Direct Payment'  - funds for you to arrange and manage your own services and support instead of receiving a direct service from us

The Carers' Directory includes information about health and social care services as well as information about leisure, employment, learning opportunities, voluntary organisations, support groups and contact numbers.  It also includes a checklist for carers to prepare for emergencies.

Getting the support you need

If you provide regular support to someone receiving services from us, we can consider your needs together with the person you care for or separately. This is called a Carer's assessment.  Speak to the Community Care Worker involved about arranging to have your needs assessed.

If the person you care for is not willing to have a Community Care Assessment, you are still entitled to have your own needs assessed if the local authority is satisfied that the person you care for is someone for whom it may provide, or arrange for the provision of Community Care Services.

To ask for an assessment, contact the team which assessed, or would be responsible for assessing, the person you care for. You can find a list and contact details of our community care teams on our Community Care Services page, as well as the option to contact us online below.

FREE Carers Training

Looking after your back

- Friday, 4 July at 12.30 pm - 2.30 pm, or Monday,  7 July at 10am–12 noon

This training is for any carer who wants to take care of their back - to learn about the things they should and should not do and what they can do to prevent problems.

• Back pain
• Back care generally and in the home (chores)
• Computer at home
• Think before you lift
• Safety in the home
• Exercise techniques
• Inanimate Loads

Moving people safely

- Friday, 4 July at 10am–12 noon, or Monday 7 July at 12.30–2.30 pm

This training is for carers who want to learn safe techniques

• What is manual handling?
• Managing or avoiding risks
• Supporting or helping someone:
• in or out of a chair
• in and out of and around in a wheelchair
• to walk
• in or out of bed or turning them
• Equipment –see what is available and try it out
• Shoulder Joint /Drag Lift
• What to do if someone has fallen or is falling
• Dealing with emergencies

To book a place on any of the above courses, please contact Kirstie by email or on 020 8547 6124

New Carers' Strategy

We have recently produced our draft Carers' Strategy (see bottom of page). Our Strategy sets out how we plan to support carers over the period 2008 -2013. Our main aims are:

• to extend the range and accessibility of break opportunities for carers including short term, home-based respite at times of crisis or emergency.
• to have in place a wider range of carers’ services, including services that can be accessed through self-assessment by carers and through a Direct Payment.
• to have a robust multi-agency process for the identification of young carers and the provision of support to these young carers.
• to work with partners and local employers to help carers to take up and remain in employment.
• through work with health, our aim is for carers to be able to maintain an acceptable level of good physical and emotional health and access and receive health checks and advice on looking after themselves.
• to make sure carers receive appropriate and timely information and carers to be actively involved in the delivery of training to staff.  
• to positively promote carers assessments and ensure they are advised about entitlements, eligibility criteria and the complaints procedure.
• to make sure all carers, including carers from the diverse communities, have opportunities to share their views and influence the way services are planned and delivered.
• to safeguard vulnerable adults and ensure carers have an opportunity to be aware of legislation including the Mental Capacity Act.  

Tell us what you think!

Please tell us what you think of the Strategy by filling in our questionnaire (see bottom of page).

New Deal for Carers – help in an emergency

The government has given social services departments money to help them improve services for carers in times of crisis or  emergencies. We have received £52,000 for carers looking after adults.

The government suggests the money goes towards emergency respite, whether that is care in the home or in a residential / nursing home for the person being cared for. We think we already provide these services well and are keen to look at what else we could do to support you and have surveyed a numbr of carers to find out what they think. Many ideas included:

• advice about what to do in a crisis
• access to a genorator in an emergency to charge hoist batteries
• more respite

What happens next?

Now that we have had a chance to look through the feedback and suggestions from carers, we have written up what we plan to do. The report is available at the end of this page.

Got any ideas? We are constantly looking to improve services to carers in Kingston. If you have any ideas please contact:

Kirstie Cochrane
Carers' Support and Development Co-ordinator
22 Hollyfield Road, Surbiton, Surrey KT5 9AL
Tel: 020 8547 6124
Email: kirstie.cochrane@rbk.kingston.gov.uk

Carers UK Survey

Do you receive  money (Direct Payments) instead of services? If so, Carers UK would like to hear from you. They are carrying out a national survey of carers to find out about the advantages and disadvantages of receiving direct payments. All responses will be kept confidential. Please complete the survey (see bottom of page) by the 16 June 2008.