Agenda item

The Cabinet Member: Adult Social Care & Health Systems

presented the joint report of the Director: Adult Social Care and Director: Children’s Safeguarding & Family Support which set out the approach to producing a place based, All Age Carers Strategy.

The role of carers continued to be vital to the whole social care system providing significant support to the people they cared for and the vision continued to recognise and value carers and support them in an impactful and meaningful way.  It was necessary for partners to work together to ensure carers did not have to spend valuable time navigating a complex health and care system with various points of contacts but had accessible advice, information and support.

Engagement had taken place locally through a variety of methods which were set out in the report.

The key areas of the strategy were to develop the all age approach to supporting carers to enable them to have good physical and mental health and wellbeing, empowering carers to co-produce and drive change across the borough and to work in partnership with the wider community to promote a carer friendly borough.

Cabinet was asked to note that reference to a six-week consultation at 12.3 in the report.  This was an error, and it should be a nine-week consultation as set out at 1.2 in the report.

Cabinet Members commented that the strategy needed to support a mix of carers and noted the number of children under 16 who were caring.  It was important that young carer’s education was not left behind and an all-age strategy was fully supported.  They looked forward to receiving the consultation feedback.

The Deputy Leader of the Conservative Group welcomed the strategy and the current approach to supporting the navigation of complex health and care systems and he felt there was a need to rationalise and simplify this.  It was requested that the consultation included all residents.  As the strategy was 22 pages long, it was asked if an executive summary for lay people could be considered.  He asked if the Council could support carers falling foul of the DWP in relation to carers allowance and benefits being stopped due to any changes.

The Cabinet Member: Adult Social Care & Health Systems confirmed that there was a carers’ wellbeing guide used widely across the borough.  The first points of contact document was produced in different formats including easy read and this would be revisited following the consultation.  Different formats for the consultation would hopefully allow good participation.  With regard to carers benefits being stopped, the council ensured that carers had a carers assessment which took them through the process and helped them to understand and navigate the system.

RESOLVED – that

a)    the approach set out in paragraphs 12.2 and 12.3 of the report in relation to consultation and engagement with unpaid carers be agreed;

b)   a nine-week consultation period starting on 18 April 2024 be approved; and

c)    delegated authority to the Director of Adult Social Care and Director of Children’s Safeguarding and Family Support in consultation with the Cabinet Member: Adult Social Care and Health Systems to receive the outcome of the consultation and update the All-Age Carers Strategy be agreed.

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