Carers

  • a physical or learning disability
  • mental illness
  • impaired health due to sickness or old age

Someone who is paid to undertake their caring role is not a carer, although some carers may be in receipt of carers allowance or in full time employment. Many carers give up work or reduce their hours of work to care and others in work report an impact of their own physical and emotional health. These services are designed to help you and support you in your everyday life.

 

Advice and support for adult carers who care for older people, children with special needs and adults with physical or learning disabilities.

Parent carers

There’s a range of advice, support and information for parent carers on family rights, grants, education issues, breaks and much more.

Young carers

Recreational respite, advocacy, a befriending service and therapeutic support to young carers who have caring responsibilities for a relative with a long-term illness or disability.

Respite breaks for carers of adults

If you care for a friend or relative who is an older person, or has a learning or physical disability or suffers a mental health problem, you may be able to access respite care services.

Advocacy and advice for carers

Provision of advice, counselling and support for those who care for adults or children with special needs. Advocacy on behalf of carers may include raising awareness of carers issues and helping to keep them on the agenda of all relevant agencies, setting out key values and principles for services to carers in the form of a local Carers Charter and improving the quality and increasing the availability of information to carers.

Where you can get help

A range of voluntary sector organisations provide advocacy and advice for carers including

Financial support for carers

Carer’s assessment

If you provide regular and substantial care for someone, you can have a carer’s assessment  to discuss the help you need.

Hackney carer’s card

Carers, aged 18 or over, who provide care for a Hackney resident, of any age, can apply for a Hackney carer’s card. Carers will be able to receive discounts on goods in some Hackney retailers and also leisure centres and alternative therapists. Further details on the card and how to apply can be found on the Carers First website.

Help and support for carers

Contact Carers First via telephone on 0300 303 1555 to find out about help and support.

You can also Find Support Services that may be suitable for you.

Health and social care complaints charter

In 2019 we joined our partners in Healthwatch Hackney and the NHS to launch a health and social care complaints charter for our residents. Find out more:

Carers partnership board

The carers partnership board was set up in response to national strategies, to make sure carers can access the support and services they need to help them stay in their caring role for as long as they wish.

The purpose of the board is to:

  • discuss and address issues of importance to carers in Hackney
  • raise awareness and improve understanding of the role carers play in supporting other people
  • exchange ideas, strengthen skills and share examples of good practice in developing support and services, to
  • help carers stay in their caring role for longer
  • develop the Council’s carers strategy

Get involved

The board meets every 2 months for two hours. You’ll receive agendas and minutes in electronic or hard copy before the meeting.

Join – partners and carer support organisations

Apply to join

Carers

Apply to join

You can contact the board on: 0208 356 7148 or carerspartnership@hackney.gov.uk

Carers’ forums

Carers’ forums are open to all informal and unpaid carers for information and guidance, and offer the chance to:

  • share and raise concerns
  • raise awareness of issues and concerns experienced by carers
  • highlight the importance of their caring role

The forums take place every 2 months. Our administration support staff help us organise and run them and make sure reports and minutes are written and acted upon accordingly.

We will also offer gift vouchers as a reward for your commitment and time.

Each forum aims to find local solutions for issues and concerns raised by carers at each meeting. The carers partnership board considers issues and concerns, to find and escalate solutions as needed.

Page updated on: 7 June 2023

Carers First