Walsall’s

Learning Disability Partnership Board

Supporting Carers

Friday 27th November 2009

Supporting the Partnership Board to Deliver the National Carers Strategy

Sam DaviesPartnership Board Support Officer

The Walsall Carers Strategy

• A draft will be ready by the end of December

• Wide consultation in early 2010 with a range of carers and services

• Aim to be ready for April 1st 2010 – but will not rush to complete until it is right

• There will be continuous opportunities for carers to influence the strategy

What the Government does already

• Cares Grant - money to local areas to make things better for carers– Includes money to help plan support for

emergencies

• Carers have more legal rights than before

• A new national information service has been set up

What we need to know

How much Carers Grant does Walsall get? £1050635

How is it used to support carers of people with LD and carers with LD? £261007 (24%)

Does it fund any holiday or befriending schemes, or support services for carers? Summer Scheme, Mencap Circles of Support; also a Holiday Grant (generic for all carers - £45,000)

Who is responsible for making sure council departments work together? How do they do this? Andy Rust, new joint commissioning manager across council and health, Assistant Director level which we have not had before

How do we support the Caring with Confidence training programme?

Is the training accessible for carers with LD?

How has the Emergency Care money been spent in Walsall? £50,000 allocated to Emergency Respite Care Service. Tried to tender for a 12 month pilot but none of providers were suitable. Now asking internal home-care service if they can do it. Also have introduced key fobs and security tubs.

How many carers now have emergency plans in place?

The National Carers Strategy

• Published by the Government in 2008

• Now we have guidance from DoH for Partnership Boards

• This group is the Board’s tool to make sure we follow the guidance

Key Points

• The National Carers Strategy and Valuing People Now share many aims

• Making things better for carers will help people with LD have better lives.

• The Board have a key role to make workers, services and organisations understand the needs of carers of people with LD and their carers.

• This work will lead to new and exciting partnerships with outside services.

What can this group do?

Look at support for carers in Walsall under the following headings:

a. Assessment

b. Working together

c. Workforce

d. Improving information for carers

e. Breaks from caring

f. Personalisation and self directed support

g. Technology

h. Housing, leisure and transport

i. Employment and training

j. Health and well being

AssessmentCarers have a right to ask for an assessment of their needs.

Services also need to share information about carers.

Questions to ask:

How does Walsall make sure that carers of people with LD and carers with LD know about their right to an assessment of their needs?

What services have been provided directly to carers because they have had a ‘ assessment?

Are there differences between what carers are asking for and what they get? How is this information collected and reported back?

How many carers with learning disabilities have had a carers assessment in the last year?

Working TogetherHealth services and social services need to get better at working

together to support carers

Questions to ask:

Who has the lead responsibility for carers in Walsall’s Primary Care Trust, council and in our hospitals?

How do these workers get information about the needs of carers? How can we give them better information? Do they come to the Partnership Board?

Is our PCT running one of the demonstrator sites? If it is, how can we be involved?

WorkersThere needs to be good training for workers about how to support

carers.

Questions to ask:

What training is happening or planned for the workforce around supporting carers in our area?

Are carers providing some of the training?

Valuing People Now says it is really important to train workers better to understand the needs of people with LD. What links are there between our workforce plans and carers’ workforce plans in our area?

InformationCarers need to get good information when they need it.

Questions to ask:

How do we make sure that carers know where to go for information and advice in Walsall?

Who is responsible for making sure that information for carers is of good quality, up-to-date and accessible on Walsall?

Do we know what information carers would find most useful and accessible? If not, how do we find out?

How can we keep working together to make sure that carers have the right information when they need it?

Short Breaks / RespiteCarers need breaks from caring. There is money being given to

PCts and councils to help make this happen.

Questions to ask:

Is the extra money being given to PCTs for breaks being used to support carers?

What has the PCT done to consult with these carers and voluntary organisations about what is needed and what has been planned?

Is Walsall one of the demonstrator sites for breaks? If so, how can we work together to plan creative breaks that people want?

How can we work with Children and Families services to make sure that families of young people get the right breaks as they become young adults?

PersonalisationCarers need more choice and control over the support they get.

Questions to ask:

What is being done to support carers to use self-directed support (such as information, advice, advocacy, brokerage)?

How many people with LD in Walsall are using self-directed support and have a personal budget?

Do family carers feel that they have been fully involved in the decision to use a personal budget?

TechnologyCarers should be able to get equipment and technology to help

them.

Questions to ask:

How many people in Walsall have access to Telecare and other special equipment to help them to be independent and safe?

Housing, Leisure & TransportSupport for carers needs to be across all services, including

housing, leisure and transport.

Questions to ask:

Who is responsible for making sure that these services are working together for carers? Do we need to do more to make sure that person understands the needs of carers?

Is Walsall planning a carers’ recognition scheme? How do we make sure that carers can benefit from it?

Employment & TrainingCarers need the right support and information to be able to work,

or be in education, and still be carers.

Questions to ask:

Do carers get information about their rights and support if the have a paid job or are training?

Does the work the Board are doing around different strategies recognise that carers may be (or want to be) working or training? This may mean that support needs to be flexible around working hours and courses.

Are there any arrangements to provide replacement care when a family carer is working?

Health & Well-beingCarers need to get the right support to be healthy and happy.

Questions to ask:

Is our area a demonstrator site for carers’ health and well-being checks?

How can we make sure that carers are aware of the health and well-being checks?

Can we talk to GPs about the health needs of carers when talking to them about health checks for people with LD?