Support for carers

The Worcestershire Travel Wallet is an exciting scheme which supports people with various disabilities to make the best use of public transport. It aims to help people overcome some of the daily communication barriers that they may face.

Under this scheme, if you have a disability, you will be provided with a recognisable plastic wallet which will enable you to organise your tickets/ travel pass. It also enables you to display simple messages that you can show to drivers/ticket staff to assist in your journey.

Some of these messages will be simple requests for patience, such as ‘please wait for me to find a seat’ and others might be more specific to your particular journey, such as ‘could you let me know when we get to the college’.

You can show these cards when seeking assistance with your journey, whether this is when boarding a bus, buying tickets, on a train platform or in other circumstances.

To request a wallet and a set of message cards, contact the Adult Contact Team.

Are you a carer?

Do you provide any of the following unpaid support to a relative, partner or friend who is ill, frail, disabled or has mental ill-health or substance misuse problems? • Emotional support. • Medical care.

• Personal care.

• Physical care. • Domestic tasks. If you do, then you are a carer. There is support for you if you need it or just want someone to talk to. You are not on your own.

Tel: 01905 768053 Email: adultteam@worcestershire.gov.uk

Adult carers

If you would like information and support regarding your own wellbeing, assessments you are entitled to or how your support needs can be met, contact the ‘Worcestershire Carers Hub’, provided by the Worcestershire Association of Carers (WAC). Tel: 0300 012 4272 (Monday to Friday, 9.00am to 7.00pm; and Saturday, 9.00am to 12.00pm). Web: www.carersworcs.org.uk/contact (you can also get in touch during opening hours via the web chat facility in the bottom right-hand corner of the website).

Worcestershire Carers Hub

Worcestershire County Council has a duty to provide information, advice and support and promote the wellbeing of carers. We do this via the Carers Hub which provides a single point of contact for all carers. The Carers Hub offers a range of support that may be required through your caring journey and beyond. Our aim is to empower and build resilience of carers to maintain the caring role where appropriate and help to manage the impact of the role on the carer’s life. 

 If further support is required, carers are also entitled to a carers’ assessment. This looks at the impact of caring on you because of your caring role and identifies any eligible needs you might have. It looks at how these needs can be met through a carers’ support plan.

What support is available?

The Carers Hub is provided by the Worcestershire Association of Carers (WAC). WAC supports carers no matter what your level of caregiving or support requirements are.

Support provided includes: • Full range of information, advice and support (helpline, web chats, website, face-to-face, drop-in and group based). • Emergency, contingency and future planning. • Training/information and wellbeing sessions. • Peer support. • Helping carers have their say about services. • Telephone befriending and Carers Talk time. • Employment, education, and volunteering opportunities. • Engaging with the local community, awareness raising and partnership working.

The Carers Hub works with various services to support carers to identify the resources already available to them from their family, friends and community networks and put support in place to complement these where necessary.

Young carers and young adult carers

Young carers can access support from Youth Support Services (YSS). Support includes signposting, one-to-one support and youth clubs for young people with a caring role.

YSS – Worcestershire Young Carers

Tel: 01905 619886 (Monday to Friday, 10.00am to 4.00pm). • Email: youngcarers@yss.org.uk Web: www.yss.org.uk

Parent carers

Contact the Carers Hub for information, advice and support.

Tel: 0300 012 4272 (Monday to Friday, 9.00am to 7.00pm; and Saturday, 9.00am to 12.00pm). Web: www.carersworcs.org.uk/contact (you can also get in touch during opening hours via the web chat facility in the bottom right-hand corner of the website).

Families in Partnership

A parent carer forum working with local authorities, education, health and other providers to make sure the services they plan and deliver meet the needs of disabled children and families. For more information, visit www.carersworcs.org.uk/parent-carer-forum special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). SENDIASS supports parents, carers, children and young people with SEND and its service is impartial and confidential. For more information, visit

www.hwsendiass.co.uk

Resource for those supporting disabled children

My Family, Our Needs is an online resource providing impartial information for parents, carers and practitioners supporting children from birth to 25 years with additional needs. As well as guidance, policy and signposting, there is a lifestyle section for parents covering topics such as health and wellbeing, work, family, and relationships. Visit www.myfamilyourneeds.co.uk

Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Information, Advice and Support Service (SENDIASS)

Herefordshire and Worcestershire SENDIASS has a dedicated team of advisers offering legally based, easily accessible information and advice about

www.myfamilyourneeds.co.uk

For parents and carers of children with additional needs and those who support them.