New to Caring?

This section provides information on:

• Who is a Carer?
• What it means to be a Carer
• What sort of services might help you?
• Useful Contacts
• Support Groups

Who is a Carer?

The word Carer does not mean care-worker or care staff of any kind who are paid to provide care as part of a contract of employment (unless otherwise stated).

By Carers we mean people who look after a relative or friend who need support because of age, physical or learning disability or illness, including mental illness. There are approximately 6 million Carers in Great Britain.

Parent Carer

By parent Carer we mean a parent of a disabled child. Parents will often see themselves as parents rather than Carers, but their child will have additional care needs and may be entitled to additional services.

Young Carers

This means Carers who are under the age of 18. The person receiving care is often a parent but can be a brother or sister, grandparent or other relative who needs support. There are estimated to be between 20,000 and 50,000 plus young Carers in the UK.

What it means to be a Carer

Being a Carer can be very stressful. There's the feeling of having the need to constantly watch over the person you care for. You worry about their health, your health too. You may be forced into part-time work and worry about finances, outside care, breaks. As one Carer who looks after his disabled son put it:

"My biggest fear is for him growing up without his own independence, hence the need for good services, education etc, otherwise he will eventually end up in a job on low pay and worry over money and his future. There are the positives though. Seeing him smile when I walk in from work, knowing that I am making a difference, at least to him. Watching him grow physically, intellectually and emotionally.

I sometimes feel guilty about not being able to provide for all his needs. Again this is where good services and support for Carers is important. I don't see him different from my other three children. He just has more needs".

If you have something to say about being a Carer then please contact us. You may be helping someone else as well as yourself by doing so.

What sort of services might help you?

For further information about what services would be helpful or for information about assessments and care planning.

• The help the person you care for needs (their Community Care assessment).
• The help you are giving at the moment (your Carers Assessment).

The way this is done is called an 'assessment'.

You as a Carer may be involved in several ways:

• If you care for a disabled child your needs will be considered as part of an assessment of needs of your child and family.
• If you care for an adult you can have a Carers assessment to discuss the help that you need. This can happen even if the person you care for refuses help. You should also be able to contribute to the discussion of the needs of the person you care for .

What your assessment is for

Your Carer's assessment is your opportunity to tell Adult Services about the things that could make caring easier for you.

As a Carer, you have a legal right to an assessment of your needs if you care for someone for 'a substantial amount of time on a regular basis'.  The relevant legislation here is the Carers (Recognition & Services) Act 1995 and the Carers & Disabled Children Act 2000.  You may be a Carer living with or away from the person you care for, caring full time or combining care with paid work - you will still have a right to a Carers Assessment.

What is the purpose of it?

It is your chance to discuss what your caring role involves and what support you may need. You can also discuss any help that would maintain your own health and balance caring with other aspects of your life, like work and family. Tameside Adult Services use the assessment to decide what help to provide. The grants and some of the services provided by the Carers Centre are now only available to Carers who have had an assessment.

How can I get a Carers Assessment?

If you have requested any help from Adult Services for the person you care for, the assessor who visits them to discuss their needs will also offer you a Carers Assessment. If you would prefer to have your Carers Assessment carried out by the Carers Centre Team, you can be referred to us, or you can refer yourself for an appointment. It takes about an hour and we will try to arrange this at a time and date to suit you. If it is difficult for you to get to the Carers Centre, we will arrange a home visit. Wherever you choose to have your assessment, your right to privacy and confidentiality will be respected and if you would prefer to discuss your caring role without the person you care for being present, this can be arranged.

Some things you may want to think about

• Do you get enough sleep?
• Is your health affected in other ways?
• Are you able to get out and about?
• Do you get any time for yourself?
• Are your other relationships affected?
• Do you want information about benefits?
• Are you worried you may have to give up work?
• Is the person you care for getting enough help?

What sort of services might help you?

• Services that give you a break
• Emotional support from other Carers or people who understand
• Help with household tasks
• Help with caring tasks during the day/night
• Benefits advice
• Activities for the person you care for

Other things you may want Adult Services to tell you about

• Local or national support organisations you could contact
• Other help you could get
• Any charge for services
• What to do if you wish to complain

Contacting Adult Services

For more details on 'assessments' or if you are looking after someone and think that you might need an assessment, please contact:

Adult Assessment and Customer Care Team, Stalybridge Resource Centre, Waterloo Road, Stalybridge, SK15 2AU
0161 342 2400

Useful Contacts

• Tameside Carers Centre Telephone 0161 342 3344
• Carers UK Telephone 0808 808 7777
• Contact a Family (families with disabled children) Telephone 0808 808 3555
• Crossroads (breaks) Telephone 0845 450 0350
• Princess Royal Trust for Carers Telephone 020 7480 7788
• Government Site