This week Rebecca Harris MP attended an event in Parliament to mark Carers Week and met with unpaid carers to better understand their experiences of caring and to ascertain how carers could be better identified and supported.
Carers Week is an annual awareness week which recognises the vital contribution made by people caring unpaid for family members or friends who have a disability, illness, mental health condition, or who need extra help as they grow older.
The seven charities supporting Carers Week in 2023 are Carers UK, Age UK, Carers Trust, Motor Neurone Disease Association, Oxfam GB, Rethink Mental Illness, and The Lewy Body Society. All these charities do vital work in lightening the load of unpaid carers across the UK.
Rebecca Harris MP said:
“Unpaid carers in Castle Point provide crucial support to friends and family members, often without any time out for themselves. The value of the support they provide is staggering - the equivalent of a second NHS.
As well as meeting carers at the event, it was also great to meet with the seven charities supporting Carers Week in 2023 to get a better understanding of the hands-on work they do.”
For any more information on Carers Week, please visit: https://www.carersweek.org/.
Available Support
If you or someone you know is an unpaid carer and are struggling, support is available. If you are a carer aged over 18, Carers First offers one-to-one support upon registration. The following link takes you to their registration page - https://www.carersfirst.org.uk/get-support/adult-carer/.
If you are elderly or would like help for an elderly loved one, Carers Choice offers qualified staff that will come into your home and help with your normal daily tasks. Their centre in Benfleet provides award-winning services for those with dementia and they also provide services to the South Essex area. Their telephone number is 0300 302 1212.
If you are a young carer, up to the age of 24, the Essex Young Carers Service provides support for those in the family home caring for an individual with long-term illness, mental health issues and drug or alcohol misuse. They will help you complete the statutory Government assessment to assess the level of care your family member needs and they will aid you in the process of assigning a key worker for up to eight weeks to alleviate some of the pressure you are under. They also offer one-to-one support; this takes many forms including school and home visits as well as telephone and email check-ins. Finally, they offer recreational activities to take you away from your caring role. More information can be found here: https://youth.essex.gov.uk/young-people/young-carers/.
For those caring for disabled or ill young children, SNAP informs and supports parents enabling you to provide the best help for your children. Their centre in Brentwood allows you to relax and talk to others in similar situations to you whilst your children enjoy the facilities. They also offer a counselling service providing additional emotional support should you need it. No formal diagnoses nor professional referral is necessary to access any of SNAP’s services and more information can be found here - https://www.snapcharity.org/contact/.
