Priority 2 - Identifying Carers

Many carers provide care within a family network and do not want or need additional support. However, some carers need support in order to prevent the escalation of their own needs, and those of the person they look after. Identifying carers early will help to ensure carers know where to go to when they require support, keeping them well for longer and helping to avoid crisis which necessitates involvement from statutory services. To achieve this, we will:

1. Train professionals in NHS, social care and other agencies to identify, value and work with carers (particularly vulnerable carers who don’t self-identify) in the course of their work and ensure “they make every contact count, working with, rather than doing to”, underpinned by clear knowledge on where to get information and advice;
2. Focus on improved identification of young carers in schools and services which work directly with families, including our own frontline staff as well as commissioned providers;
3. Help Primary Care Surgeries, often the starting point for a carer’s journey, recognise carers and know where to signpost them for support in their communities;
4. Optimise opportunities to raise the profile of caring, to help people to self-identify, such as Carers Week and Carers Rights Day.