Posted on Wednesday 9th August 2023
Julia Jessel, Cabinet Member for Health and Care
People in Staffordshire are being invited to have their say on how unpaid carers should be supported in the county.
Thousands of people in Staffordshire support a loved one or friend with their day-to-day care and support needs. Being a carer can be a rewarding experience, but everyone needs help sometimes. Many carers get that help from their family, friends, or community networks, while others may need extra help and turn to the county council or the NHS and the organisations they commission.
The county council and Integrated Care Board are currently developing a five-year plan on how carers will be supported, and feedback from the survey will be used to help shape the plans. It aims to provide an understanding of how carers can be best supported and what services they may require to continue being a carer, whilst staying healthy and happy.
Young carers aged under 18 can also get involved through young carers groups run by the Staffordshire Together for Carers Service. Young carers who aren’t already a member of a young carers group can contact enquiries@staffordshiretogetherforcarers.org.uk or by calling 0300 303 0621.
Julia Jessel, Cabinet Member for Health and Care at Staffordshire County Council said:
“Informal carers do a wonderful job in providing care for loved ones or even friends and neighbours and are a vital part of the care sector.
“Making sure this army of carers are supported and they know about and can access the support they need to care every day is incredibly important. Being happy and healthy is so important for carers, along with being able to lead more independent lives outside of caring. It’s also important that in more crisis situations, carers have somewhere and someone to turn to for help.
“Understanding the needs of carers is a priority for the county council, so whether you help someone with continuous care or on a less regular basis, you can help shape our plans. Please take a few minutes to complete the survey and together we’ll make sure we have the right support in place.”
Mark Sutton, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People at Staffordshire County Council said:
“We have lots of young carers out there helping to look after parents and relatives and it’s vital we support them as they face their own unique challenges.
“We already provide a range of support through the Staffordshire Together for Carers Service but we’d like to find out what’s most important to them. I’d urge any young person who cares for someone to get in touch with the service and have their say through the young carers groups.”
The Staffordshire Carers Survey is available here and will take no more than fifteen minutes to complete. The deadline for submissions is Monday 18 September 2023.