ITEM EX7 - ANNEX 1EXECUTIVE - 1 JUNE 2004OXFORDSHIRE CARERS’ STRATEGYReport by Director for Social & Health Care
Oxfordshire Carers’ Strategy, Aims and Objectives 2004-2006 The aims of the Carers’ Strategy
Oxfordshire’s Joint Carers’ Strategy Steering Group is committed to establishing a carers’ strategy that is carer led and is working towards ensuring that the right services are available to carers and that those services are appropriate, easy to access, equitable and timely in their delivery. Oxfordshire intends to achieve this by working in partnership, by recognising and respecting and supporting both adults and young carers in their own right and by training and supporting staff to fulfil the strategy’s aims and objectives.
Our objectives are to:
To enable carers to access help, we need to start by identifying carers, many of whom may not recognise themselves as carers. Messages from research have been corroborated by Oxfordshire carers in that information is key to enabling carers to access services; practical and emotional support are vital as are practical help, having breaks and access to items of equipment.* Action points:
* S & HC has a duty to provide a carer’s assessment upon request where:
Carers UK reported in 2000 on a national survey of carers which showed that significant numbers of carers were both in poor health and living on low incomes as a result of their caring role. Action points:
3. Help sustain carers in their caring roles so long as they choose to continue.
Research findings are echoed by Oxfordshire carers that the majority of carers do wish to continue to care, but they do need help, support and breaks if they are to continue to do so. Social & Health Care has a duty to promote children being brought up in their own families wherever possible and a range of support services are available to support parent carers in this role. The National Strategy for Carers reports that flexible employment policies adopted by employers and flexible support services are key to enabling carers to retain or return to employment. Two thirds of working age carers are in paid employment. Flexibility is the most important factor to enable carers to combine work and caring and to maintain a work life balance. Action points:
Services should recognise the needs of Carers. Carers have told us very clearly that unless services are developed in line with what carers want, they will not necessarily be appropriate to carers’ needs. It is important that we involve parent carers; it is also very important that we consult with children so services that are provided support the whole family. Action points:
- in planning services for the person for whom they care and services for themselves so that their needs are taken into account - in service planning, monitoring and review. - in induction and/or training of staff where service provision directly affects them or the people for whom they care.
Oxfordshire pays particular attention to the needs of people at risk of social exclusion. We have used poverty mapping and demographic information to help target services across the county. Carers’ needs vary greatly. People who may need extra help to access services include: those living in poverty, people from minority ethnic communities, people living in isolated rural areas of the county, people of all ages isolated by their caring commitments, and carers who themselves are disabled or have their own health needs. Carers may be multiply disadvantaged due to the combination of isolation in their caring role and other inequities.
Action points:
|