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Carers Gateway
Kirklees Carers Gateway
David MacDonald - May 2008
carers.gateway@kirklees.gov.uk
Supporting carers across Kirklees
The Carers' Gateway provides support and information to carers across Kirklees.
You are a carer if:
- You look after someone who is ill, disabled, elderly or frail
- This person depends on you for their day-to-day needs, care and support
- The care you provide is unpaid
Many people are carers without even knowing it. Once you realise that you are a carer you can get the support
and information you are entitled to. This could include practical help, emotional support or help to claim
suitable benefits.
Our services include
Support
If you simply need to talk to someone or have a question about your caring situation you can contact us by
telephone, email or call into the Carers Gateway. Our carer support team will be happy to listen to your
concerns and can put you in touch with services which offer practical, emotional and financial support.
We also offer individual appointments and home visits.
Carers assessments
You have the right to a carers assessment if you are aged 16 or over and provide, or intend to provide, a lot
of care regularly for another person, aged 18 years or over, and this person is someone for whom the local
authority may provide or arrange the provision of community care services.
As a carer you can ask for a carers assessment (or reassessment) at any time during your caring role.
A carers assessment is an opportunity for you to tell health and Adult Services what would make caring easier
for you and help you to have a life of your own.
A carers assessment is not a test and it should not assume that you want to carry on giving the amount of care
you give now.
It is up to you how fully a carers assessment is carried out. Information can be added at a later date or at a
future reassessment.
A carer can choose if the specialist carers assessment is carried out with the person they care for or carried
out alone with a professional. The aim is to get enough information to decide:
- what help you need to carry on caring and look after yourself, by having a life outside your caring
- if you are able to get support
- whether your needs can be met by Adult Services, health, or other service providers.
Following a carers assessment services may be provided to you or the person you care for. However, being assessed
does not mean that you will automatically receive a service.
Even if, after having a carers assessment, no services are provided, the process may help you to:
- feel valued
- gain peace of mind from knowing who to contact for help in the future
- gain information on how to get other support that is available to you
- get a sense of shared responsibility between yourself and services
- gain confidence to take up services and support
Examples of support provided as a result of a carers assessment are:
- encouragement to attend training and social events run by Carers Gateway for example moving and handling training, aromatherapy sessions, first aid training and much more
- encouragement to attend the Expert Patient's Programme ‘Looking After Me’ training. A course specifically designed to make sure that carers can; manage their own health needs, communicate with professionals and gain support from other carers
- advice and information about local and national services and support groups
- support to the carer to help them identify any key areas concerning them and how they might 'problem solve' some of these issues
- information leaflets about benefits and pensions and referrals made to the appropriate service
- referrals to the Action for Carers and Employment project within Carers Gateway for support with employment and training issues
- support with some of the practical household tasks that you may find difficult to manage while maintaining your caring role
- help with funding for training if you want to return to employment
- a sitting service to help if you want to have a hobby but you need someone to sit with the person you care for
- help with a short break or holiday if you want to get away from it all and recharge your batteries
You can request a Carers Assessment by contacting:
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Kirklees Council Carers Gateway on 01484 226050
- Gateway to care on 01484 223000
- the social worker or care co-ordinator of the person you care for
You may be asked a few questions about why you feel you need a carers assessment, so please give as much
information as possible to help us decide how urgent your situation is.
Information
We can offer you information about almost anything to do with your caring situation, that might be about
services, your rights or carers support groups. If we don't know the answer to something, we'll try to find
out. We have a library of useful information at the Carers Gateway centre which includes books, leaflets,
magazines, newsletters, and videos.
We publish a free newsletter 3 times a year, packed with information and articles about issues that might be
of interest to carers and people who work with carers.
Social and Information Events
We want to give carers the opportunity to take a break from their caring responsibilities, to learn something
new and to meet and relax in the company of other carers. The Carers Gateway offers a programme of Social and
Information events for carers, which have included stress management, first aid, back care, basic computing,
days out, leisure events and activities for children during the school holidays, to give parent-carers a break.
We recognise the difficulties carers may face when wanting to take part in events and so we are able to arrange
alternative care for the cared for person and travel. The events are free of charge.
Social and training events for carers leaflet (PDF 344KB)
Kirklees Carer of the year
Following a fantastic response to the “Kirklees Carer of the Year” competition in 2006, Kirklees Adult
Services decided to run the competition once again with the help of sponsors: Huddersfield Examiner, Dewsbury
Reporter, The Press, Ridley and Hall Solicitors, Batley Rotary Club, the Edinburgh Marriott Hotel, Asda, Marks
and Spencer’s and the florists “Finishing touches”.
We were delighted with the number of nominations we received this year - over 30 across Kirklees. All the carer
nominations were exceptional, each deserving to be, and is, a “Carer of the Year”.
To see the nominations and the Kirklees Carers of the Year for 2007 please select the link below.
Download Carers of the Year 2007 souvenir booklet (pdf 385KB)
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