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Carers

An unpaid carer is someone who provides unpaid care and support to a family member, a friend, or a neighbour who needs help with their day to day lives due to a disability, mental or physical illness, substance misuse issue, or someone who needs extra help as they grow older.

Carers are a diverse group and every caring situation is unique. You are a carer if you provide a family member, friend or another person with assistance or support with their daily living.

Carers can be:

  • adults caring for other adults
  • parents caring for children who are ill or have a disability
  • young people under 18 years who are looking after, or involved in the care of, a parent, sibling, relative or friend.

For some taking on a caring role can be sudden; someone in your family has an accident or your child is born with a disability. For others, caring responsibilities can grow gradually over time: your parents cannot manage on their own any longer; your partner’s or your child’s mental or physical health gradually worsens.

The amount and type of support that carers provide varies considerably. It can range from a few hours a week, such as picking up prescriptions and preparing meals, to providing emotional or personal care day and night.

Carers can help with personal things like getting someone dressed, helping them to the loo, helping them move about or administering their medication, they can also help with things like shopping, laundry, cleaning, cooking, filling in forms or managing their money.

But without the right support caring can have a significant impact. Evidence shows that caring can cause ill health, poverty and social isolation.

Caring is something that will affect each and every one of us in our lifetime, whether we become a carer, or need care ourselves.

The purpose of a carers assessment is to identify whether you are eligible for support to help you care for the person you are looking after.

To find out more information about what Carers assessment you could apply for. Please visit the SCC Adult Social Care and Support Page.

Family carers are not required to meet specific care standards. However, if wilful neglect or mistreatment has arisen, carers may be prosecuted under section 44 of the Mental capacity Act 2005. Other criminal law may apply to financial abuse, physical assault, domestic abuse and other types of abuse. They are not regulated or inspected for the quality of the care that they deliver, so it can be challenging for other services and organisations to know how and when to intervene.

Carers may be hidden, not identify as carers, or the role may have built up slowly over time.

Carers are given equal weight to the cared for person in the Care Act 2014 and are entitled to an assessment of needs as a carer.

Research has found the risk of abuse to carers themselves increases when the following occurs:

  • the carer is isolated
  • the carer lacks access to sufficient practical and emotional support from family, friends, professionals etc.

Carers can be at increased risk of abuse from their cared for when the cared for:

  • has health and care needs that exceed the carer’s ability to meet them
  • does not consider the needs of the carer and other individuals
  • is discourteous and disrespectful to the carer
  • declines external support e.g. replacement care
  • insists on being supported 24/7
  • exerts control over finances, property and day to day living arrangements
  • is aggressive and hostile towards the carer
  • has a history of substance misuse, unusual or offensive behaviour
  • does not understand their actions and their impact on the carer
  • chastises and rejects others as a result of feeling anger at their situation
  • does not meet the criteria for support, after reaching out to receive this.

There is a risk of intentional or unintentional harm, or neglect, that carers could pose to the person they care for. Some of the following could increase the risk of this happening:

  • the carer has needs of their own, which have either not been identified or are unmet
  • the carer has limited understanding of their cared for person’s needs and/or condition
  • the carer has had to make unwanted changes to their life to look after the person
  • the carer gets limited support (emotional or practical) from their family, friends etc.
  • the carer feels isolated, unappreciated and stigmatised
  • they juggle their caring role with other responsibilities e.g. employment
  • the carer has little, or no life outside of caring e.g. no time to pursue another interest
  • they consistently seek support and solutions to issues but don’t receive this
  • the carer is experiencing abuse themselves, from the cared for and/or another source
  • the carer feels unappreciated by the person they care for
  • they feel exploited by family and/or services.

It is important for organisations and services who work with carers to use their professional curiosity to be aware of the fact that carers have a significant part to play in safeguarding and can be affected in many ways. They can be vulnerable to harm/abuse, can themselves be a perpetrator or can be the person who reports the concern.

Situations that might trigger a safeguarding response involving a carer could arise from:

  • the carer witnessing or disclosing the existence of abuse or neglect
  • when supporting their cared for, experiencing deliberate or unintended harm directly from them or from institutions and professionals they engage with
  • independently, or with others, deliberately or accidentally harming or neglecting their cared for.

The Local Government Association has a briefing on carers and safeguarding published February 2022: Carers and safeguarding: a briefing for people who work with carers | Local Government Association

  • Encourage carers to self identify as carers and to then recognise their role and to talk about what they think they may be finding more difficult before it reaches crisis point.
  • Help them to think about emergency plans ( e.g if they fall ill, what care would need replacing)
  • If they feel at risk from the person they care for, safety plans ( e.g what practical action they can take, is there a close neighbour they could go to, can they keep their mobile phone on them or exit the house quickly?)
  • Make sure every carer is told about the carers assessment and what is can it can do for them.
  • Recognise that carers may hide their real feelings through fear or shame    (e.g. being seen as not coping, or afraid of the reaction of others, or the person they care for)

Giving Carers a Voice  listen to the experiences of carers (of all ages) to ensure their views are heard in the design and delivery of the services they use.

Carers can contact Giving Carers a Voice or share their feedback by:

Email: info@luminus-cic.uk

Phone: 0303 303 0023

SMS (text only): 07592 787533

Share feedback via Healthwatch Surrey online form.

Giving Carers a Voice Flyer

As a carer, it is important to recognise and address your own needs and well being – and there are useful contacts below that can help support you.

  • Action for Carers Surrey provides support for carers across the whole of Surrey including a telephone helpline, carers groups, support workers and training. There is also support for young carers.
  • Being Heard – Self-advocacy guide for carers from Carers UK
    Self-advocacy is about speaking up for yourself. It’s about getting your voice heard and effectively communicating your own interests. Our guide has been designed to help you communicate your needs with professionals, understand your rights and look after your wellbeing.
  • The Carer’s Prescription is a secure online referral mechanism which allows doctors and other primary care health professionals to support carers they come into contact with by referring them to a range of support services available across Surrey (including a carer’s assessment). You can ask your GP for this. The purpose is to help support the health and well-being of the carer and improve the balance between their caring roles and their life apart from caring.
  • Connect to Support Surrey – Start exploring local care and support in your area to help you stay independent, healthy and connected to your community.
  • The Mind website gives more information about ‘how to cope when supporting someone else’. You will also be able to download a leaflet with further information about what counts as caring, how caring can affect your mental health, how you can look after yourself and what support there is available.
  • Surrey Carers Strategy 
  • Surrey & Borders Partnership NHS Trust has information and support for carers of people with mental health needs.
  • The Royal College of Psychiatrists has information for carers, family and friends caring for someone with a mental illness, and information for parents and carers of young people with depression.
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