Carers FIRST Impact Report

Impact Report
2017 - 2018

Supporting Carers In:

Who We Are

Carers FIRST is a registered charity supporting people who look after a relative or friend
who due to ill health, physical or mental illness, disability, frailty, or addiction cannot man-
age without their support.
Carers don’t have to live with the person they look after and can be caring for a few hours
a week to 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

What We Do

We provide information, advice, guidance, emotional
support, training and activities, giving carers an
opportunity to have a break from their caring role and
help them to get the support they need.

Why We Exist

For many, caring is a rewarding and positive experience, but for others, without the right
help and support caring can feel overwhelming. For some, caring can trigger feelings of
loneliness and frustration and many find their physical and emotional health, work or
finances often affected.

By 2037, it's anticipated that nationally the number of carers will increase to 9 million
Every day another 6,000 people take
on a caring responsibility – this equals
over 2 million people each year

Statistics sourced by Carers UK - www.carersuk.org

1

Olivia is 26 and cares for her mum who was left
with life changing injuries after a trauma

Hi, my name is Olivia, I am a full time carer for my mum and
have been for 11 years. Although I love my mum and would
not want it any other way, the role of being a carer can be

challenging and very demanding, also it can feel quite
overwhelming at times and to some extent I do feel I have

missed out on opportunities other people of my age may have
experienced.

Since April 2016 when I first came into contact with Carers

EssexFIRST as a young adult carer, they have enabled and
supported me to return to education in the form of home
study, which has enabled me to gain skills and qualifications
that will benefit me in the future, if and when I may be able to
return to work.

I have a busy & challenging role as a carer, but Carers FIRST
have given me hope for the future.

2

What we have done: April 17-March 18

We have reached We received
and supported
17,519 calls into
6463 new carers
the service

We have provided 12,169 carers with

information and advice

Run 352 support and 15,395 carers have
social received a What’s On
groups Guide & 7,556 have
been sent an e-bulletin

Referred 4,625 The Carers Hub spent 1326
carers to partner hours directly
organisations for
specialist supporting carers on
support the telephone

3

124 young carers in Over 1,200 hours gifted

Medway attended a by
group or activity volunteers

Provided 2,124 carers with

advice about welfare benefits

248,391 Run 45

carer contacts carer
made learning
events
46 active members of including Caring
Confidently
our Carers
Forums

Run 141 specialist groups, activities

and trips for young and young adult
carers aged 8—24

4

Who we have supported

We support carers who
look after people with
a wide range of
health conditions.

The category
“other” includes
genetic disorders,
substance misuse and
blood disorders.

We support carers of all ages

60 and above 26 - 59 Unspecified

44% 35% 14%

19 - 25

4%

18 and under

3%

Many of the carers we support are of working age and many
are still in full time education

5

31% of 68% of 26% of the carers

the carers the carers we support have
we support we support a health condition
themselves
are male are female
1775 of the
1% are unknown to us
Carers we support
or prefer not to say are working

We have supported over 12,000 individual carers this

year, including over 350 who live out of area, but care for
someone who lives within one of the areas we work in

6

Volunteering—Gladys’ Story

Gladys contacted the volunteering team at “Volunteering gives me
Carers FIRST after getting back in touch with purpose. I’m motivated to
one of our Hospital Support Workers who she
met towards the end of her husband Dave’s help people receive the
support that I never got
life. because I didn’t come
across Carers FIRST until
Having listened to the roles we had and the end of Dave’s life”
matching up Glady’s skills, she chose to
become a Peer Support Volunteer at one of 7
our mental health support groups. Three and

a half years later and Gladys is still
volunteering at the group, providing an

invaluable service, welcoming and
providing peer support to carers who come

along to the group.

“For me, volunteering is coming to
work. I’ve made lots of new

friends and am always learning
something new”

Living through the experience of caring for her
husband, Gladys wanted to do more to

support others who may be in a situation
similar to which she found herself when Dave

became ill, so last year Gladys became a

Telephone Befriender.

Gladys regularly calls isolated carers,
providing emotional support and a friendly,
listening ear to help reduce loneliness and
offer peer support. She also supports another

Telephone Befriender who has sight loss.

And Gladys hasn’t stopped there! Over the
last year she has formed part of the interview
panel when recruiting our new CEO as well as

several of the Carers Hub team, become a
health researcher and joined the
Carers Forum.

The Difference We Make

We use a selection of robust assessment tools 83%
for providing personalised and proportionate
support to carers. Our model is flexible and of carers
reported an
can be adapted to the requirements of each improvement
locality we deliver support in
in one or
You have helped me the most out of more areas
everyone, I always felt I could talk to you
and you understood. I'm not at the top of their
yet but I have my foot on that first step caring role
of the ladder. I am not in that black hole

anymore
Mary, cares for her husband

77% of carers said they felt more in control or felt

they were getting more support

“Just to say big thank you for the 78% of carers reported the
long chat yesterday which was
really helpful and informative support received by
and gave me some food for Carers FIRST has improved
thought. You were more help in their wellbeing or is helping
one phone call than I have had them to manage their stress
from anyone”

Janette , cares for her mother

8

60% of carers said they had a 72% of carers said

better balance in their lives or they felt less lonely
were being supported to have and isolated since
some time for themselves
getting support

89% of carers I enjoyed the course today, it made a
welcome break and was full of good
said the support
and information information that was new to me,
despite having been in touch with
received was Carers First for a few years now.
useful to them
Brian, cares for daughter

“Thanks to you all for your kindness

and prompt response in giving rapid 148 people in the

response care to my 86 year old west of Kent have been
father. We very much

appreciate your kind assistance. Keep supported by our Rapid

up the fantastic work!” Response Service

Susan and Sandra

We have only just started our lunch club, 73% of carers said that the
but I can already see that the children are
support and advice
enjoying it. Those that have been to received from the benefits
activities outside of school that Carers FIRST
advisors was useful
run for young carers, have found them
enjoyable and a really positive experience “I just wanted to thank you for the
and I hope that you will be able to continue benefits advice, it was spot on, even
the time frame in which the money was
to offer this service to our children.
received.”
St Thomas More Catholic Primary, Medway
Tom, cares for son

9

Peter called Carers FIRST on the advice of the Peter’s Story
Alzheimer's Society as he cares for his wife
Helen who has dementia and also suffers
from arthritis. Peter is 75 and has some
health issues of his own. “I was managing
OK, but could see that things sadly were
changing and I wanted to get some services
in place so I contacted Carers FIRST”

Peter does most of the things around the
house, he gets Helen dressed and due to her
dementia he has to remind her about things

throughout the day about as she forgets
them. Helen often wakes up in the night
meaning Peter does not always sleep well.

We supported Peter to complete a Carers
Emergency Response Card which provides
carers with peace of mind that in the event
of an emergency, the person cared for will
receive help and support whilst they are not
there. We also supported Peter to review the
benefits he was receiving and linked him and

Helen into some local groups.

“I am bowled over by the support I’ve had from Carers FIRST.
I’ve received a reduction in council tax and applied for a review

of Helen's Attendance Allowance. We have joined a singing
group and go to the dementia café. They make such a

difference to us and are a great stimulation for Helen. We have
met other carers and it’s so helpful to be able to share
experiences and support each other. Thank you”

10

0300 303 1555
[email protected]
www.carersfirst.org.uk

Carers FIRST is an independent, charitable organisation supporting and helping
carers . We are funded by the local authorities in the geographical areas we
work in, trusts, grants and private donations.
From April 2018 Carers FIRST will also be operating in Essex and Haringey

Central Office: Michael Gill Building, Tolgate Lane, Strood, ME2 4TG
Registered Charity No 1085430 Company No 04144820