Carers Support Service - Caerphilly County Borough Council

Lead service provider/commissioner

Name:: Caerphilly County Borough Council

Type of knowledge

Type of knowledge:: Project description only

Prevention service description

Team members also work hard to promote the importance of carers’ assessments and ensure that all carers receive an assessment if they wish to do so. However the service is an inclusive one and will ensure carers have access to all necessary information and support groups even if they do not wish to have a carers assessment. The first task for staff was to identify what was important to carers and what barriers there were to achieving this by asking ‘what matters to you?’ The intention in asking this question is to ensure that the focus is upon the carer as an individual and not purely on their role as a carer. The assessment remains focused on identifying potential solutions rather than simply listing problems (a cultural shift in assessment practice). This approach has seen many benefits to carers, including carers being supported to access small breaks, education opportunities, and support to carers to meet their own personal outcomes and continue in their caring role.

Since its inception, the carers coordinator role has ensured the objectives of the service have expanded to become more strategic in outlook are underpinned by a recognition that to be effective the service must be responsive to the needs of the local carer population. This was in part informed by consultation on a carers rights day held in November 2016, where the emphasis on outcome focused, person-centred support that recognised the needs of the individual was identified.