Priority 1: We want to improve physical and mental health and wellbeing for young carers, young adult carers and adult carers (including parent carers)
What issue is this priority addressing?
Carers can experience significant physical and mental health problems, independently of caring and sometimes because of the impact of caring. Young Minds conducted a survey in April 2020 which revealed that 83% of respondents felt that the Covid-19 pandemic was making their mental health worse, and among the respondents who were accessing mental health support in the lead-up to the crisis, 26% said that they were no longer able to do so.
Carers UK conducted a survey in October 2020 which revealed that 58% of carer respondents felt more stressed than before, because of the impacts of Covid-19. 50% said that the experience of Covid-19 had a negative impact on their health and wellbeing, including the ability to take any kind of break. 74% of respondents reported feeling more exhausted than normal, 65% of respondents reported neglecting their own health needs and over 33% described delaying their own treatment for health conditions (carersuk.org).
The experience described in these surveys is verified by feedback from young carers, young adult carers and adult carers in Warrington who, in engagement work in 2021, described increased issues with loneliness, isolation and stress.
We must work as a system in Warrington to focus on improving the health and wellbeing of our carers.
How will this priority be delivered?
- We will provide support to carers to keep them safe from Covid-19, including through the use of PPE and vaccines.
- We will provide access to counselling services for young carers and young adult carers (and access for adult carers to be maintained).
- Access to Social Prescribing (all carers over the age of 18 can be referred to the Wellbeing Service for social prescribing/wellbeing support).
- As part of a multi-agency commitment, we will ensure safeguarding principles for young carers, young adult carers, adult carers and parent carers are made evident across organisations.
What are the potential measures of success?
- Service implementation (Covid-19 support, counselling and social prescribing).
- Year 3 improvement in the National Adult Social Care Outcomes Framework 1D Indicator (Carer Reported Quality of Life), obtained from the annual carers survey.
- Pathway to enable all identified adult carers to be referred (as appropriate and with agreement) to the Wellbeing Service.
- Recommendations from the Warrington Safeguarding Adults Board Carer Strain Audit addressed.