Sandwell's Carers Strategy

Sandwell Council have worked with partners in health, Sandwell Childrens Trust and carers organisations in the Voluntary Sector have developed a Joint Carers Strategy “Better Lives for Carers 2022-26”. 

There has been extensive public engagement and the views of over 1000 carers and others have helped develop an action plan based on 9 Promises – see below:

• Information, Advice and Assessment
• Developing the Workforce
• Reducing Carer Breakdown
• Employment and Finances
• Supporting Young Carers, and Parent Carers
• Health and Wellbeing
• Living Well in Community
• Awareness and Diversity
• Best Practice

The Joint Carers Strategy sets out 30 actions over 4 years to meet these outcomes to make carers lives better:

1. Information, Advice and Assessment - All local Carers and the wider community have access to the right information, advice at the right time in the right place and in right way/format, and support to meet their needs and prevent them increasing. Carers will have quicker and easier access to information and advice, they are identified earlier, so they are supported more quickly.
2. Workforce - Carers will be well supported by trained workforce who can identify them early, respect and value them and support effectively or signpost to appropriate support.

3. Employment and Financial Wellbeing - Carers within Sandwell will be supported to remain in, and return to, employment education and training and will feel supported to access benefits to prevent hardship.
4. Carers risk - All Carers receive support to reduce risk of Carer crises and manage them. All Carers continue to cope and receive support to reduce risk of Carer crises, including sudden changes of circumstances, like loss of work, relationship and social opportunities, illness, exhaustion and breakdown, and safeguarding incidents.
5. Young Carers will have the same opportunities as other young people and the specific needs of Parent Carers will be recognised and supported.
6. Health and Wellbeing - Carers in Sandwell will be supported to look after their own physical health and mental wellbeing
7. Awareness and Diversity - All partners will work to raise the profile of Caring within Sandwell and to ensure that underrepresented Carers voices are heard and supported.
8. Living well in the Community - Carers in Sandwell will be supported to access community- based support to address situations of loneliness, isolation and bereavement
9. Support is based on evidence and engagement. Support for Carers will be commissioned based on evidence and best practice and engagement with Carers as experts by experience.

One of the ways we will meet the outcomes is to develop a carers centre in Sandwell. Plans are being put in place now. If you would like to have your say. Please contact ASC_Commissioning@Sandwell.gov.uk