The Lambeth Carers Strategy seeks to improve the quality of life of unpaid carers in our borough. We are working towards ensuring all carers are:
- able to have a life of one’s own alongside caring
- protected from financial hardship caused by their caring role`
- supported to stay mentally and physically well
- respected as care and support partners at the heart of decision making
- (young carers) able to enjoy a thriving childhood and are protected from inappropriate caring roles
Who are unpaid carers?
A carer is anyone who cares, unpaid, for a friend or family member who due to illness, disability, a mental health problem or an addiction cannot cope without their support.
The Lambeth Carers Strategy seeks to support unpaid carers, including young carers, who live in Lambeth or care for someone who does.
Caring roles can vary, some carers look after someone full time, while others share the care with a friend or family member, or juggle caring with paid employment or education. However, big or small the caring role, it is vital that carers get the information and support they need.
Background
The London Borough of Lambeth and South East London Clinical Commissioning Group have a joint carers strategy, ‘Working together with Families and Carers – A Framework for Action’. The outcomes and priorities set out in the Framework were informed by the views of families, carers, Carers’ Hub Lambeth and stakeholders gathered from a range of surveys, service development work and engagement events. The group overseeing the work of the strategy is the Carers Collaborative Strategy Group, who have been most recently focussing upon:
- Building the Lambeth Carers Card offer – to recognise carers and their vital contribution to our community
- Raising awareness of carers in Lambeth – to increase understanding within local services and the wider community
- Responding to the impact of Covid 19 - to support carers navigate the challenges resulting from the pandemic
- Working with local partners and services – to improve support and ensure carers become everyone’s business
2022 Strategy Refresh
Over 2022 will be refreshing the Lambeth Carers Strategy. The landscape affecting carers has significantly changed since the Lambeth Carers Strategy was first developed in 2017, including a rise in the number of people caring, the fallout of the Covid 19 pandemic and the cost of living crisis. It is essential that our work in Lambeth takes account of these changes and addresses new challenges which may have arisen.
In the coming months, we will be inviting local carers, community members and professionals to share their views, insights and ideas, so that together we can make a real difference to the lives of carers in our borough.
If you would like to be kept in the loop with progress on the Strategy Refresh and opportunities to get involved please contact the Carers Strategy Development Manager at Carers’ Hub Lambeth on connect@carershub.org.uk or 020 7501 8973.
Your views
As a starting point we are keen to find out what support carers find most useful, current challenges they may be facing, and their ideas for what could be done differently in Lambeth.
We would be really grateful if you could take a few minutes to complete our survey.