Adult carers

Gloucestershire Carers Hub provides free carers’ support. The hub provides information and advice on a range of topics including carers’ support groups, training courses, employment support services and contingency planning.

Gloucestershire Carers Hub will listen to carers to understand what type of support is best. This could include attending a local carers’ support group, connecting carers to their community or getting a break from their caring role. These services are available to all carers regardless of the cared-for person’s age (more information for parent carers is below).

Upon contacting the hub, individuals can choose to be registered as a carer. This gives the carer the opportunity to have a conversation with a trained worker about the things that prompted them to call the hub, discuss what matters most to the carer, what effect the caring role is having on their wellbeing now and the impact it might have in the future. The Carers Hub will continue to support a carer even after their caring role may have ended.

Where a carer appears to need further support, the hub will make sure that the carer is offered a carers’ assessment under the Care Act 2014. An independent advocate will be arranged to support

Parent carers

Carers supporting disabled children can access all carers’ support described on page 40. In addition, Glosfamilies directory is an online resource providing support and advice for families and young people from birth to 25. See page 37 or visit www.glosfamiliesdirectory.org.uk

SENDIASS Gloucestershire provides information, advice and support relating to children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). The service is offered to parents and carers of those aged 0-25. See page 37 or visit www.sendiassglos.org.uk the carer in this process if they have substantial difficulty in any of the following:

You can also get support by contacting Gloucestershire Parent Carer Forum.

• Communicating their views, wishes and feelings.

• Understanding, retaining or using information.

• If there is no appropriate person able and willing to help, support and represent them.

Where a carer has eligible needs, the assessor and carer will work together to agree a support plan. This involves taking into account what the carer has said is important to them, what they want to achieve, things that they can do by themselves or can manage to do with the support from others and the local support available.

Visit www.gloucestershirecarershub.co.uk or call 0300 111 9000.

For more information on independent advocacy, contact POhWER – see page 36. Carers can also contact the Adult Social Care Helpdesk by emailing socialcare.enq@gloucestershire.gov.uk or calling 01452 426868. Or the Children and Families Helpdesk by calling 01452 426565. There is lots of information for carers on the Your Circle website at www.yourcircle.org.uk

Carers from black, Asian and minority ethnic communities

There are services for Gloucestershire’s black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) carers. Find out more information from the Gloucestershire Carers Hub (page 41) or via Your Circle (page 31).

Black Elders’ Day Centre

St. Catherine Court, 2 Wheatstone Road, Gloucester GL1 4PX

Tel: 01452 311388

Ebony Community Carers’ Group

Email: ebony.carers@gmail.com

Email: blanchemccalla554@gmail.com (Chairperson).

Tel: 01452 617456

Text: 07470 309029

Polish Carers’ Group ‘Babinki’

Meeting monthly at various venues.

Email: waclawska@yahoo.co.uk or info@polishglos.org.uk

South Asian Carers: Friendship Café at Chequers

Bridge Centre, Painswick Road, Gloucester GL4 6PR

Tel: 01452 308127

Email: haroon.kadodia@gloucestershire.gov.uk

Gloucestershire Carers Emergency Scheme (CES) – operating via the Gloucestershire Carers Hub

The CES is a free service that offers carers peace of mind that in an emergency, the cared for person will be supported and the people who need to know will be informed. The service is available to carers over 18. There are two levels for this scheme and the Carers Hub will discuss options with you to develop the best contingency plan to support you in an emergency.

Level one

Carers nominate two contacts (e.g. family members, friends or neighbours) who would be willing to check on the person being looked after if the carer is unable to due to an accident, emergency or illness. They will be contacted by the CES provider if an emergency occurs.

Level two

If you do not have any family/friend support, level two is discussed. Level two offers support from a nominated local provider who will aim to send a support worker within two hours of the emergency call being made. This support is to cover the immediate emergency situation and is available for up to 48 hours (72 hours over a bank holiday). If a longer period of support is required, this will need to be arranged, potentially working with the council. Level 2 only covers cared for people over 18 and complex medical conditions may not be eligible for this service.

Visit www.gloucestershirecarershub.co.uk/carersemergency-scheme or call 0300 111 9000