Training and Resources for Professionals
The Care Act helps to improve people’s independence and wellbeing. It makes clear that local authorities must provide or arrange services that help prevent people developing needs for care and support or delay people deteriorating such that they would need ongoing care and support.
New research by Carers UK reveals that family members caring round the clock for loved ones who are older, disabled or seriously ill are being plunged into debt and struggling to afford food and bills during the cost-of-living crisis. A survey of more than 12,400 current unpaid carers found that one in six (16%) are now in debt as they try to manage their monthly costs.
This report provides a valuable insight into the daily lives and outcomes for young carers, by using data from the Longitudinal Survey of Young People in England (LSYPE) publicly for the first time.
The Children’s Society believes this could be just the tip of the iceberg. Many young carers remain hidden from official sight for a host of reasons, including family loyalty, stigma, bullying, not knowing where to go for support. Some young carers are as young as five years old.
This resource is primarily aimed to be a guide for local government. The Children and Families Act 2014 places a duty on local authorities to take ‘reasonable steps’ to identify young carers in their area who have support needs. This resource sets out these duties and shows how local government can work with education, health and social care partners to take the steps necessary to increase identification of young carers.
The results of a Carers Trust survey into the impact of Coronavirus on young carers aged 12 to 17 and young adult carers aged 18 to 25 was published in July 2020. They point to a steep decline in the mental health and wellbeing of the hundreds of thousands of young people across the UK who provide unpaid care at home for family members or friends.
This report highlights how older parent carers and ageing carers who face additional barriers to accessing services should be supported to prepare for a time when they are less able or unable to provide care. The report is accompanied by resources for commissioners, providers and front line staff to use in the development of support for carers to plan for a future when they are less able or unable to care.
On 1 December 2021, the Government published its long awaited White Paper on Adult Social Care: ‘People at the Heart of Care: adult social care reform'. Carers UK have produced a briefing which sets out the important measures in the White Paper with regard to unpaid carers.
On 1 July 2022, the Health and Care Act came into force. Carers UK have produced a briefing which sets out the important measures in the Act with regard to unpaid carers.
These documents showcase good practice in Social Prescribing and interventions combatting loneliness amongst unpaid carers. They explore how local VCSE organisations and statutory partners have worked together to develop successful Social Prescribing and interventions aimed at combatting loneliness amongst unpaid carers.
On 3 November 2021, Carers UK published its State of Caring 2021 report. Each year, Carers UK carries out a survey of carers to understand the state of caring in the UK. This year, over 8,500 carers and former carers shared their experience of what it’s like to be a carer, making it the largest State of Caring survey carried out by Carers UK to date.
On 15 March 2022, Carers UK released vital new research which shows that unpaid carers are now facing unprecedented financial challenges in light of the UK’s cost of living crisis. Without urgent support from Government, we are extremely worried that many will be unable to continue caring. A UK-wide survey of 3,300 carers that we conducted in February reveals that thousands of carers are now having to make extremely difficult choices about whether they eat or heat their
