Tuesday 25 January 2011

NEWS


 

Current Consultations and Policies

Shocking call to lump learning disability into mental health
A paper commissioned by Edwina Hart MBE AM, the Minister for Health and Social Services, has put forward a principle recommendation that a statutory body 'responsible for mental health and well being in Wales' is established. More worryingly it further recommends that the body would 'provide and lead services for people with learning disabilities'.
Click here to view article


Many carers are setting up petitions
 to get the government to do more for carers.
Find out how you can back them, including a new campaign for student carers who are barred from claiming Carer's Allowance. more... 16.05.08




We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to Pay Carers Allowance to carers for each individual disabled child or adult cared for. More details
Submitted by Nathalie Bishop of Mother and carer – Deadline to sign up by: 24 January 2009 – Signatures: 167





New : As council tax bills are issued Carers UK 
is urging all carers to check out if they paying the right amount.
 Some carers are entitled to a discount. more... 







NATIONAL CARERS STRATEGY


The Government is expected to publish its National Carers Strategy in June. Find out what Carers UK wants from the strategy. more...
Carers in Communities ConferenceThis Carers UK conference examines how support for carers fits into the local transformation agenda and what might be included in a new social contract for carers. We are delighted to confirm that speakers for the day will include Ivan Lewis MP and Rt Hon Stephen Timms MP. Book your place now. more...
Preparing for the green paper overhaul in adult social careCarers UK is part of the Right Care Right Deal coalition. We've teamed up with Community Care Conferences to host a conference to look at how the green paper will transform adult social care in the coming years, and to demonstrate new techniques to implement it. Save £50 by booking before May 16th. more...

        

  : A new report from Carers UK highlights how new technology
can radically improve life
for carers and disabled people - more... 06.02.08

  
   CARERS TELL PM "IT'S TIME TO DELIVER" 
Prime Minister Gordon Brown met carers at a Carers UK and Department of Health event in Leeds last week.
Carers told the PM they expect him to deliver better support: more...
    



    

 



www.caretotakealook.com
This interactive website/CD ROM 
offers an introduction to the issue of caring using
 a variety of text,
'Care to take a look' includes : 
  • An introduction to caring by broadcaster Nicky Horne (who is also a carer)
  • Filmed examples of carers' life stories
  • How a life is changed : an interactive tool to see how episodes of caring affect a persons life
  • Regional statistics - search how many carers there are where you live
  • Presentations on the big issues affecting carers : money, health and employment
  • Facts about carers
  • Care awareness - self-awareness tool for policy makers to test their knowledge
 




Case study: Self-directed care
An example of self-directed care in action is Joseph
Tomlinson (18) who has complex disability needs.
Joseph's mum Caroline says: “If he’d followed the usual
social care route, he’d probably be in residential care
right now – out of sight, out of mind.” Instead Joseph’s
life is now remarkable for its ordinariness. He has set up
his own social enterprise, studies at college and is now
buying his own home.
The difference in his life is thanks to support from In
Control, a partnership with individuals, families, local
authorities, community organisations and support
providers. They are developing this new system of social
care – Self-Directed Support – so that people such as
Joseph, can take control of their support money and
spend it in a way that makes sense to them without
unnecessary restrictions. Through In Control Joseph was
assessed and allocated a pot of money from social
services and other funding streams. This enabled the
family to employ eight personal assistants working on a
rota basis.
In Control is sponsored by the Department of Health,
Mencap, The Care Services Improvement Partnership
and the Valuing People Support Team. Some 95 local
authorities are already signed-up members and are
implementing the new system.
Caroline Tomlinson concludes: “After all I never wanted to
be his care manager, his accountant or his director of
services. All I ever wanted to be is Joseph’s mum, doing
things that mums do for their growing children – like the
washing! In Control has helped a lot in achieving this.”
For further information on In Control visit
www.in-control.org.uk

CARERS LOSE £11,000 A YEAR IN EARNINGS
New statistics, published to coincide with Carers UK's Carers Rights Day, show that the average loss in earnings last year by carers who had either to give up their job, reduce their hours or take a more junior position was £11,050. more...

 

Carers ask Gordon Brown for real change

07 November 2007

Ahead of first Carers Summit, carers deliver thousands of letters to Downing Street demanding reform of carers’ benefits.
A group of carers representing the UK’s six million carers deliver letters to Gordon Brown today (7 November 2007) calling for a fresh look at carers’ benefits and the financial support they receive.
The visit to No.10 Downing Street comes one day ahead of the first Carers Summit due to be held in London on Thursday 8 November.
The letters are part of Carers UK’s Real Change not Short Change campaign which is aiming to overhaul the benefits systems to give carers a decent standard of living and to enable them to work if they wish.
Imelda Redmond, Chief Executive of Carers UK says, “We’ve had a staggering response to our campaign and a wide range of messages showing the strength of carers’ feelings.  The support that carers provide is worth £87 billion each year, yet in return the Carer’s Allowance is just £48 a week.  Carers see this as an insult and want the system changed.”
Research by Carers UK shows that nearly three quarters of carers are worse off as a result of caring.   A third struggle to pay bills and one in five has cut back on food.
Gordon Brown has made carers a priority by setting up a Standing Commission on carers, and launching the largest ever consultation for carers with a review of the National Strategy for Carers, which he has pledged will become a vision for the next ten years.
The Carers Summit, organised by Carers UK, will see some 250 carers from throughout the UK debate the crucial issues facing carers in the 21st century, including the lack of recognition they face, the low incomes they are forced to survive on and the need for health and social care services to better support carers.  Ivan Lewis MP, Minister for Care Services and Anne McGuire MP, Minister for Carers’ Benefits, will be attending to hear carers’ views which they will feed in to the National Carers Strategy.



Kate Groucutt  email: kate.groucutt@carersuk.org.        
or Patricia Orr. T. 020 7592 1980 M. 07889 140139
email: pat@thirdsectorpr.co.uk


3.   Carers UK is the leading campaigning, policy and information organisation of and for carers. Carers UK continues to make a difference to carers' lives by: campaigning for a better deal for carers; informing carers of their rights and what help is available; training and advising professionals who work with carers; working across the UK through its membership and networks of branches and affiliates. For more information, visit www.carersuk.org or for advice on your caring situation call CarersLine on T. 0808 808 7777.