Carers' Support
How can a Carers' Support Worker help?
A Carers' Support Worker can meet carers in their homes or in the community and also provide support by phone, e-mail or letter. A Carers' Support Worker can help by:
- listening to carers and providing emotional support
- encouraging carers to recognise their own needs and have their status as a carer acknowledged by others
- informing carers of other sources of support and services for carers
- ensuring carers are aware of their rights
- informing carers about benefits and allowances and helping to maximise their income
- supporting carers with form-filling including benefits applications
- applying for any grants that carers may be eligible for
- providing information on opportunities for carers to have a life outside of caring
- encouraging other professionals to recognise carers as expert care partners
- liaising with health and social care professionals
- consulting carers and supporting carers to express their views and opinions in order to improve service planning and delivery
For details of other support and services available, please see the About Us page.
The Generic Carers' Support Worker supports adult carers including;
- parent carers of a child with an illness (including mental ill-health), disability or special educational needs
- carers of frail older people
- carers of people with a learning disability, physical disability or sensory impairment
- carers of people with a physical illness/medical condition
- carers of people with Asperger's Syndrome
- any other adult carers apart from those caring for people with mental health needs or substance misuse issues
For details of support for carers of people with mental health needs, including dementia, and for people who misuse substances (drugs and/or alcohol), see the Mental Health and Substance Misuse Carers' Support section. For support for carers aged up to 18 years old, see the Young Carers' Project section.
Contact
You can fill in the Initial Contact Form, or you can contact our Generic Carers' Support Co-ordinator at carers1@kingstoncarers.org.uk or on 020 3640 7693
