Contents

1.	Foreword

2.	Introduction

3.	Structure chart

4.	Legislative framework

5.	Priorities and achievement (2019-2022)

6.	Carer profile

7.	Demand for support from relevant carers

8.	Services and support available
(including our Young Carers)

9.	Emergency planning/pandemic and beyond

10.	What carers tell us improved their health and wellbeing (Consultation)

11.	Delivery Plan/Improvement Plan for 2023-2026
(national care service/ public sector funding/ cost of living crisis/pandemic and beyond, carer inquiry findings

12.	Useful contacts/resources

1. Foreword

South Lanarkshire Health and Social Care Partnership (SLHSCP) recognises the role of unpaid carers and their pivotal position as Equal Partners in Care.

Carers have a unique role in the life of the person they care for. When we are planning and delivering care for that person, it is important that we involve their carer. They have valuable knowledge to contribute, and any decision will have an impact on their caring role.

Young Carers may be looking after a parent or care for a brother/sister, they may have to do extra jobs around the home, spending a lot of time caring for someone can get in the way of doing well at school and doing the same kind of things as other young people.

Carers have rights and these are outlined in the Carers Charter and they need support to continue to care in good health and wellbeing. We need to consider the impact caring has based on aspects of the carer’s life: health and wellbeing, relationships, living environment, employment and training, finances, life balance, in order to maintain their own quality of life and have a life alongside caring.

People who provide unpaid care are supported to look after their own health and wellbeing, including to reduce any negative impact of their caring role on their own health and wellbeing. (National Health and Wellbeing Outcome 6).

Carers, the person they care for, workers from health and social care services and voluntary sector partners all work together as partners in care to achieve better outcomes for all involved. Carers have the right to play an equal and active role in care planning and decisions. This does not mean that all carers are the same or that the caring is shared equally. Every carer has a different and unique role, but the same right to have the support and information they need and to be as involved as they choose to be. Equality is about having rights and choices.

The Carers (Scotland) Act 2016 (The Act) enhanced and enshrined those rights for carers and placed several roles and responsibilities on the local authority, the Health Board and the Health and Social Care Partnership to drive forward the specific requirements of The Act.

Carers should be involved, consulted, listened to and heard by key agencies across South Lanarkshire. This Strategy sets out how we intend to do this.

The South Lanarkshire Carers Partnership Group has wide representation from all those who work to deliver support and services to and with unpaid carers. The carer representative on the Integrated Joint Board also plays an important role in the Carers Partnership. This role includes representing and championing carers involvement as equal partners and also contributing to good governance ensuring integration authorities implement their statutory obligations.

This Strategy builds on our 2019/2022 plan and the framework for delivering improved supports and services to people who provide unpaid care in South Lanarkshire. We want to ensure we provide support to all carers and will continue to engage in a range of consultative activity in relation to all the duties we have responsibility for as part of The Carers (Scotland) Act 2016.

The production of a Carers Strategy is just one of those responsibilities. This is not a new responsibility for South Lanarkshire and builds on iterations since 2009.

The Carers (Scotland) Act 2016, and subsequent guidance provides a structured framework from which our Carers Strategy has evolved.

We acknowledge the impact COVID-19 has had on unpaid carers, and the impact it also placed on services some carers rely on to get that break from caring and to have a life alongside their caring role.

We will continue to work together to strengthen our planning and investment and use our resources efficiently to provide support and services to carers.

Soumen Sengupta	Director of Health and Social Care Partnership

Lesley McDonald	Chair of Integrated Joint Board

Linda Craig	Integrated Joint Board Carer Representative

2. Introduction

The legislative base to support carers, The Carers (Scotland) Act 2016 contributes to a wider effort to build a fairer Scotland and a strong sustainable economy, tackle inequalities and deliver public services with communities. It is closely related to and is underpinned by the same principles as other public service reforms, notably, the integration of health and social care, self-directed support and the Independent Review of Adult Social Care/National Care Service.

Scottish Government published the National Carers Strategy in December 2022.

The key themes of this strategy intend to put the individual carer at the centre and focus on five different aspects of unpaid carer support:

Living with COVID-19

Recognising, valuing and involving carers

Health and social care support

Social and financial inclusion

Young carers

South Lanarkshire Carers Strategy sets out our approach to support unpaid carers whilst noting our achievements from the past three years and setting out our stall for the next three years.

The Strategy will align to the Strategic Commissioning Plan 2023-2026 and its Strategic Priority 5:- Supporting Carers as well as the National Health and Wellbeing outcome 6:- People who provide unpaid care are supported to look after their own health and wellbeing, including to reduce any negative impact of their caring role on their own health and wellbeing.

In terms of young carers this Strategy will align to the Children’s Services Plan 2023-2026 and link to the National Wellbeing indicators for Children and Young people (SHANARRI) Safe, Healthy, Achieving, Nurtured, Active, Respected, Responsible, Included.

South Lanarkshire’s Connect Council Plan 2022-27 vision is to: “Improve the lives and prospects of everyone in South Lanarkshire”.

The Plans priorities are:

People – we will work to put people first and reduce inequality.

Progress – we will work to recover, progress, and improve.

Planet – we will work towards a sustainable future in sustainable places.

The Connect outcomes are:

Communities and environment – Caring, connected, sustainable communities.

Education and learning – Inspiring learners, transforming learning, strengthening partnerships.

Health and wellbeing – People live the healthiest lives possible.

Children and young people – Our children and young people thrive.

Housing and land – Good quality, suitable and sustainable places to live.

Our economy – Thriving business, fair jobs, and vibrant town centres.

All unpaid carers, young carers, and adult carers can benefit from any of the Connect outcomes.

Local authorities are also required to consider how adult/young carers personal outcomes and needs for support impact having one or more protected characteristics (within the meaning of section 149(7) of the Equality Act 2010.

The Local Authority also has wider equality duties to:

eliminate discrimination, harassment and victimisation in all its forms

advance equality of opportunity for all

foster good relations across our community

You can read the Mainstreaming Equality Report 2021-2025

The National Health and Social Care Standards: “My support, my life” , produced by the Scottish Government in 2017 are important to carers and the cared-for person. They aim to ensure that people across Scotland receive the same high standard of care and support, delivered in a way which reflects their own personal needs and circumstances. The Standards sit beneath five overarching principles (dignity and respect; compassion; included; responsive care and support; and wellbeing). They set out what people should experience every time they use health and/or social care services.

There are also a range of other focussed planning/strategic activities which connect with the lives of unpaid carers such as: dementia, frailty, palliative care, mental health, learning disability,
autism, sensory impairment, augmentative and alternative communication and substance misuse.

We have engaged with carers in a range of situations, for example care planning/hospital discharge, and their experience of caring. We have received compliments and feedback from carers on a range of issues. We have also engaged with carer organisations and a range of delivery partners to make sure that those who have responsibilities to support carers have a say in the shape of this strategy.

We understand each carers journey is unique to that individual and influenced by the same factors that impact on the cared-for person, but from the carer’s perspective.

These factors are:

Symptoms – supporting the cared for person to live with those symptoms such as frailty, confusion, addiction, mental health, disability.

Treatment – balancing work, family life to support the cared-for person to attend appointments, collecting prescriptions, administering, and monitoring medication, use or provision of physiotherapy.

Impact of the condition – how much support the person needs, personal care, moving with assistance, emotional, physical, social impact, welfare and financial guardianship, day, or night
or both.

Personal Circumstance – carers age, sole carer or family/history, balancing work, family life and caring, carers own health and wellbeing needs and financial situation. Having a life alongside caring, being a young person alongside caring.

Despite this, we recognise the impact a caring role can have on unpaid carers. To address this, the strategy will drive long-term, sustainable systemic change to how carers are supported and valued.

It is also important to build a wider understanding and recognition of caring across South Lanarkshire. Unpaid carers are a diverse range of people covering all parts of society, but they can often be marginalised. We must ensure that unpaid care is visible, understood and valued, and not regarded as peripheral or something that affects only particular people.

3. Structure chart

A structure chart has been developed to illustrate all the connecting parts that flow from the Integrated Joint Board (IJB)and contribute to support for unpaid carers.

A Carer Representative is at the core of all these connections, being a member of the IJB, Carers partnership, and being active as a Board member within the voluntary sector.

The structure chart has the IJB carer rep, voice of carers, carers connected, carers partnership/young carers partnership at its centre.

There are two supporting pillars either side of centre, the first is all the voluntary sector commissioned services who directly support carers or contribute to supporting carers.

The second pillar is that of statutory services: Health and Social Care Partnership, Education youth services, Social Work assessment and care management and all the registered care services who in partnership ensure that carers/young carers are supported in good health and wellbeing to continue to care if they choose.

4.	Legislative framework and guidance

The Carers (Scotland) Act 2016 (the Act) aims to support carers’ health and wellbeing and help make caring more sustainable. It puts in place measures to help people continue to care, for as long as they choose, in better health and to have a life alongside caring.

The Act came into effect on 1 April 2018 and has introduced the following statutory requirements /duties on local authorities and health boards:

Offer Adult Carer Support Plans and Young Carer Statements

Produce a local Carer Strategy

Provide support to carers

Publish local eligibility criteria

Provide information and advice for carers

Involve carers (including Hospital Discharge)

The Act defines a carer as “an individual who provides or intends to provide care to another individual”. A young carer is a carer who is under 18 years old or is over 18 but have remained in school.
Where the Act refers to carers its means both adult and young carers of the cared-for person.

These duties give carers:

►	the right to an Adult Carer Support Plan or Young Carer Statement

►	the right to support to meet “eligible needs”

►	the right to be involved in services

►	the right to be involved in the discharge process of the person cared-for

The Social Care (Self-directed Support) (Scotland) Act 2013 places a duty on local authorities to offer people who are eligible for social care a range of choices over how they receive their support.

There are four main legal reference points for the guidance:

The legal basis for choice over care and support: The Social Care (Self-directed Support) (Scotland) Act 2013

The duty to assess an adult‘s need for care and support: Section 12A of the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968

The legal basis for support to children: Sections 22 and 23 of the Children (Scotland) Act 1995

The legal basis for identifying carers’ needs and providing support: Parts 2 and 3 of the Carers (Scotland) Act 2016

Self-directed Support (SDS) is ‘the way that care and support is delivered, making the principles of choice and control central to care and support, and giving individuals full opportunity to take control of their support and their lives.’

The Scottish Government produced Social Care (Self-directed Support (Scotland) Act 2013: Statutory Guidance.

Not all carers will require support, however thresholds of eligibility have been defined to ensure that those carers most in need of support get the right levels of support at the right time. The Wellbeing (Adults) Indicators of: Health and Wellbeing, Relationships, Living Environment, Employment and Training, Finance, Life Balance, Future Planning are considered when addressing the impact on the carer’s life.

For Young Carers the wellbeing indicators of Safe, Healthy, Achieving, Nurtured, Active, Respected, Responsible, Included (SHANARRI) will link with and support the achievements of the young persons potential in relation to the eight indicators of GIRFEC (Getting it right for every child).

Eligibility thresholds

Caring has no impact	Needs met

Category 1	Caring has low impact	Low level needs

Category 2	Caring has moderate impact	Moderate level needs

Category 3	Caring has substantial impact	Substantial level needs

Category 4	Caring has critical impact	Critical level needs

Personal outcomes are identified and aligned to the Caring Indicators whilst engaging in a meaningful conversation with the carer as part of an Adult Carer Support Plan/Young Carer Statement.

The Health and Social Care Partnership have commissioned services to deliver direct support services for adult carers and young carers and this includes the delegated responsibility for offering and providing Adult Carer Support Plans and Young Carer Statements.

Resources are finite for both the Health and Social Care Partnership and Third Sector organisations and in developing the model of support for carers in South Lanarkshire we need to ensure those most requiring support access a resource appropriate to their needs.

The principle of The Act is to provide preventative support to carers to support them in their caring role and assist them to continue to care in good health and wellbeing.

Providing good quality, appropriate and timely information and advice to carers has the dual benefits of improving health and wellbeing of carers, and the cared-for person, reducing the potential need for, and cost of crisis management. The aim of information and advice services for carers is to enable them to access independent and comprehensive information and advice, to assist them with decision making in relation to their caring role and to have a life alongside caring.

The areas of information and advice identified within the Carer Scotland (Act) 2016 are:

carers’ rights

income maximisation

education and training

advocacy

health and wellbeing (including counselling)

bereavement support services

emergency care planning and future care planning

5. Priorities and summary achievements from the 2019/2022 Carers Strategy

The Strategy identified four main priorities:

Priority 1

Valuing carers

Carers are identified, involved and valued

In the main, the Health and Social Care Partnership identify carers, via their assessment and care management practice.

We have also commissioned services to raise awareness of, identify and support carers and young carers through their work.

A carer representative plays a key role in the Integrated Joint Board (IJB) and the Carers Partnership Group.

Many individuals within our workforce have caring roles, we continue to enhance our Carer Positive Award status and provide support to those in the workforce with appropriate policy and practice.

Our engagement activities have included consultation with carers, with reports, recommendations and findings influencing and shaping decisions, for example we asked Lanarkshire Carers
to talk to carers about their experiences of SDS.

A report on the impact of Winter Funding (April 2022), saw the reach of additional funding to over 900 Lanarkshire Carers and evidenced how carers could identify themselves when public awareness was raised to funding supports.

South Lanarkshire Carers Connected is also the “go to” group to facilitate carer involvement.

Carers told us about their experiences of SDS and provided recommendations for improvements which we are addressing.

Individual carers receive support in many ways such as information and advice, training opportunities, short breaks/respite, practical support, emotional support, financial support, tailored support to a range of ethnicities, with dedicated BAME (Black Asian and Minority Ethnic) services.

The Care Inspectorate undertook a National Inquiry into Adult Carers Experiences of social work and social care services. The Health and Social Care Partnership, Carer Organisations and individual carers in South Lanarkshire contributed to this. We have a plan in place to address the findings of the report, and this will be included in the Action Plan developed from this new 2023-2026 Carer Strategy.

5,615 Carers known to/supported by Lanarkshire Carers South Lanarkshire (as of March 2023)

910 in Rutherglen and Cambuslang

2,028 in Hamilton

1,487 in East Kilbride

1,190 in Clydesdale

Priority 2

Carers achieving personal outcomes

Carers have choice and control, allowing them to balance their own life with their caring role

Within the Health and Social Care Partnership carers are identified and supported through assessment and care management practices when carers need for support are substantial/critical. There were 418 Carers identified as having substantial or critical needs through the Self-directed Support process in 2021-22. Carers receive support by way of self-directed support options directed at supporting those substantial and critical identified needs.

Lanarkshire Carers is commissioned to provide information, advice and direct support services to all carers. Their work includes the responsibility to deliver Adult Carer Support Plans in specific circumstances. They reported progressing 912 ACSPs in 2021-22 and 803 in 2022-23.

Action for Children provides services to young carers and continues to grow and develop. They run six 16 plus age groups, work closely with Universal Connections (Youth Learning) and Education Resources (Schools Awareness Programmes). They have created lots of opportunities for young carers such as going out for meals, going bowling or to the cinema. They have purchased two new bikes for a young person and one drum set and have assisted with the purchase of bedroom furniture.

Further work is planned on the scoping of a Shared Lives scheme and enhancing our status as a Carer Positive organisation will continue with the 2023-2026 Carers Strategy.

www.carerpositive.org

Lanarkshire Carers have achieved the Carer Positive employer at the exemplary level, the highest level of the three-stage award.

Priority 3

Developing support and services

Carers can access the right support and services at the right time

Carers Supports and Services were tendered in 2019 and new services commenced in summer of 2020 (mid-pandemic). Services had to become highly creative and adapted very quickly with the physical constraints required to operate services safely.

Traditional supports to carers were also limited during the height of the pandemic. Carers/Young carers were increasingly seeking support.

Contract values invested following this tender and subsequent service enhancements total £1,005,766.00.

Lanarkshire Carers Hospital Linked Programme continue to support carers and raise awareness. In a practical way, the palliative care teams in acute and community sites as well as the specialist palliative care team have received Carer Awareness presentations from the Hospital Linked Carer Support Workers. This has led to increased identification of carers by the teams, carers being informed about their rights, increased referrals to Lanarkshire Carers and partnership working on individual cases.

The teams are now aware of the ‘fast-track’ component to accessing Adult Carer Support Plans, as part of the guidance on Terminal illness (Carers (Scotland) Act 2016), where carers must be contacted within at least five working days to progress these conversations. There are also arrangements in place to ensure that carers with a life-limiting condition or who care for a loved one who is palliative, can access the right information and support as quickly as possible.

Both of our independent commissioned services, Lanarkshire Carers and Action for Children Young Carers Service can lever in funding from other external sources, bringing additional benefits to carers and young carers in South Lanarkshire.

Money Matters Welfare Rights Service continue to support carers with benefits advice and support. They have contributed to the Social Security Scotland consultation survey regarding Scottish Carer’s Assistance.
In 2021-22 our dedicated Welfare Rights Officers supported 970 carers access £54,958 in weekly benefit awards, and £571,182 in backdated benefit awards.

Within the Health and Social Care Partnership, staffing resources have been increased to assist support the carers agenda with additional Social Work Assistant posts within Fieldwork Operations staff and Care at Home. Some posts have also been supporting work with carers at a strategic level.

Eligibility Criteria, information for carers, Short Breaks Statement were all developed as part of our duties under the Carers Act, all this information will require to be refreshed and updated as well as our Carers Strategy.

Scottish Government has also developed a National Carers Strategy, and a Charter of Carers Rights.

Priority 4

Making experiences better for carers

Carer has a positive experience of being a carer

Equal Partners in Care (EPIC) Carer Awareness training is a compulsory training course all staff within Social Work Resources should undertake as part of our learn online training programme.

Hospital Discharge is being supported more appropriately by additional staff from Lanarkshire Carers linking to Acute sites and work being undertaken by the Discharge without Delay (DwD) group.

Alongside our main commissioned services, we support several other voluntary sector organisations in addressing the carers agenda to ensure support is available when required.

In addition, Carers Act funding has and is being directed to support our own infrastructure in support of carers with several posts created to take on a more focussed approach to carers within the assessment processes.

We undertook consultation activity at the start of this Carers Strategy and the national survey carried out by the Care Inspectorate had many Lanarkshire Carers contributing their experience. We plan to repeat some of this activity, in particular a Carers Survey.

Good progress has been made in relation to the priorities and associated actions agreed to deliver the intentions of the previous Carers Strategy.

Carer consultation highlighted that the 4 priorities listed below are still relevant.

Priority 1:
Carers are identified, involved, and valued.

Priority 2:
Carers have choice and control, allowing them to balance their own life with that of their caring role.

Priority 3:
Carers can access the right supports and services at the right time.

Priority 4:
Carers have a positive experience of being a carer.

These four priorities sit well with the refresh of EPIC Core Principles (Equal Partners in Care – caring for unpaid carers resources): Carers are identified; Carers are supported and empowered to manage their caring role; Carers are enabled to have a life outside caring; Carers are fully engaged in the planning and shaping of services; Carers are free from disadvantage or discrimination related to their caring role; Carers are recognised and valued as equal partners in care.

Comments from Carers

“I would like to thank everyone at Lanarkshire Carers for all the work that you do. Your support is vital and it’s a great resource that really helps people to transform their lives and promotes wellbeing.”

“I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for your wonderful support. It is an amazing service you are providing. More people need to know about it. It’s a godsend to me. You really are wonderful.”

“I’m not being overdramatic when I say this but talking to (Carer Support Worker) last week has made a world of difference to me. It really has changed my life. Feeling understood and validated was amazing. Receiving misinformation from several different places and then getting all that I needed here was life-changing.”

“It was the first time someone said I was important too. I hadn’t thought about it that way before. You made me realise that I mattered, it helped me so much and I had a little cry if I’m honest.”

6. Carers profile, Scotland and South Lanarkshire

Carers are a diverse group; genders, ethnicity, age and circumstances. They are part of all Scotland’s communities; urban and rural, deprived through to more affluent. They are in full-time education, paid employment, caring full time, unemployed and retired. Their caring can be for a few hours to full time.

The latest figures show an estimated total of around 696,000 carers living in Scotland, including 28,000 young carers (Scotland’s Carers Update Release: December 2022).

These estimates were produced using the Scottish Government’s Scottish Health Survey and the 2021 mid-year population estimates published by National Records of Scotland.

Analysis from Scotland’s Carers has shown that the number of carers and intensity of caring is more common in some groups than others:

Women comprise the majority of carers, although men comprise 40% and genders are in equal proportions in the oldest age group

High intensity carers (over 35 hours) are drawn disproportionally from the most deprived areas

Similarly, carers are most commonly aged 55-64 and many of them provide over 20 hours care, but it is carers aged 65 and over that are the highest providers of this level of care

A higher proportion of young carers are in lone parent families, and they have more intense caring responsibilities

More young people in the most deprived areas are carers

Estimated carers in Scotland 696,000 including 28,000 young carers

South Lanarkshire is Scotland’s fifth largest local authority in terms of population with over 322,000 residents. It covers an area of 1,772 square kilometres of land in central and southern Scotland, almost 80% of which is agricultural. The council provides services for everyone in this large and diverse geographical area.

Within South Lanarkshire there are four towns with populations of over 20,000 (East Kilbride, Hamilton, Rutherglen and Cambuslang) and a further 17 towns and settlements with a population of over 1,000.

Social Work Resources in the main provides support to unpaid carers by way of commissioned services and direct service delivery.

The South Lanarkshire population totals 322,630

66,268 are female

156,362 are male

27,966 are aged 75 and over

202,430 are working age (16-64)

266,930 are adults aged 16 plus

6,218 are aged under 5

Statistical information on people who provide unpaid care taken from the Census 2011

32,796 people who provide unpaid care

9,030 provide 50+ hours

5,785 provide 20 to 49 hours

17,981 provide under 20 hours

Social Work Resources dealt with 22,016 referral types in 2021-22

28% (8,964) older people

19% (6,097) children and families

5,427 people receiving a homecare service

2,124 aged 85 and over

1,718 aged 65 and over with physical disabilities

In terms of employment in the council area, all people aged 16 to 74 in employment total 150,954.

The second largest employment area is Health and Social Work with 21,755 (14.4%)

The highest employment area is Distribution with 24,376 (16.1%)

In terms of unemployment our data records:

11,931 unemployed

7,672 economically inactive due to caring duties, and a further 13,137 economically inactive due to long term sickness or disability

While caring can be an extremely rewarding experience, carers often experience poor mental and physical health arising from their caring role. Those most at risk are carers in more complex and demanding caring situations. Although these carers may represent a minority of the carer population, they nonetheless provide the bulk of unpaid care.

The pattern of caring has changed. There are more carers providing more intensive care. For those providing more intensive care, there can be financial and social challenges. While employment may sustain carers in their role, some carers struggle with combining a job and caring and either have to adjust working patterns or stop work altogether. Furthermore, carers may face additional financial burdens associated with their caring responsibilities. As care load increases, carers can be at risk of social isolation as it can be difficult to maintain or foster social networks or pursue interests.

Outlined below are a number of other national reports that have been produced with specific carer focus providing further evidence of the experience carers have in their varied and unique roles.

State Of Caring (Scotland) 2022

The State of Caring survey was carried out by Carers Scotland with over 2,000 carers taking part. The main focus of the report is on the current cost of living crisis.

Some key facts and figures:

1 in 5 households in receipt of carers allowance live in food insecurity

26% are struggling to make ends meet with almost 1 in 5 carers struggling to afford the cost of food

52% of carers surveyed have an income far below the average wage in Scotland (£26,007)

91% of carers are spending more on energy and heating costs

24% of carers are cutting back on food and heating to make ends meet

64% of carers are experiencing negative impacts on their mental and physical health due to worries caused by the cost-of-living crisis

Carers Census, Scotland, 2021-22

The Carers Census collects a variety of information on unpaid carers and the support provided to them, in order to help monitor the implementation of the Carers (Scotland) Act 2016. Data is collected directly from local authorities and Carer Centres.

There were 42,050 individual carers being supported by local services. The most commonly reported impact was on carers emotional wellbeing.

Inquiry into adults carers experience of social work and social care services

The Care Inspectorate produced an Inquiry into adult carers’ experiences of social work and social care services:

Part of the role of the Care Inspectorate is to scrutinise the social care and social work services delivered by health and social care partnerships who in turn provide support to unpaid carers.

Written responses given by:

1489 self-identified adult carers

26 health and social care partnerships

20 carers organisations

There were 8 recommendations from this report which are being addressed by South Lanarkshire Health and Social Care Partnership

Data sources are outlined in above links and South Lanarkshire Area Profiling Tool.

7.	Demand for service/support for carers

The COVID-19 pandemic created significant difficulties and hardships for many carers. When support services closed or reduced capacity as part of the first lockdown in March 2020, carers stepped into the gap to support vulnerable friends and family members.

For many people, this was never planned, but was essential. The number of people providing care increased and many existing carers took on more intensive caring roles, whilst also losing the opportunity to take breaks from caring.

The pressures of the past years have left many carers at breaking point. Many are now in need of support to alleviate their caring roles, enable them to have breaks, support their own mental health and reduce isolation.

More than ever, the contribution made by unpaid carers has to be recognised and steps taken to address the problems caused by the pandemic as well as the long-term issues that continue to affect unpaid carers.

For individual carers, the practicalities of health and social care, education, housing, transport, social security and employment systems shape the intensity and experience of caring and their ability to balance caring with satisfying lives beyond caring.

An increasing ageing population (this is most pronounced in the 75+ age group) and a lower healthy life expectancy for people in South Lanarkshire is resulting in an increase in demand for service.

Added to this is the current Cost of Living Crisis and rocketing energy costs. With inflation still very high, both the UK and the Scottish Government have formally recognised the severity of the crisis and have deployed emergency measures to help mitigate the effects of rising costs.

While all sectors of society are seeing prices rise, the impacts are greatest for those on the lowest incomes. The council recognises the immense pressures being faced by households including unpaid carers, across South Lanarkshire and acknowledges the potential for additional demands on council services.

While doing all we can to support our communities in these difficult times, the council recognises that inflationary pressures will also present significant challenges for council services as budgets are increasingly squeezed by rising costs.

Council Budgets provide support to unpaid carers within South Lanarkshire Health and Social Care Partnership. The partnership has responsibility for a number of duties as outlined in the Carers (Scotland) Act 2016 and also within the Carers Charter produced by the Scottish Government.

At the time of drafting this Strategy, the council began to undertake a public consultation exercise regarding its budget. South Lanarkshire faces unprecedented financial challenges, with a £70.6 million budget gap for the next +10 years alone. Some truly difficult decisions require to be made about what services the council can deliver.

Registered Care Services

South Lanarkshire Council, Social Work Resources, is a registered service provider with
the Care Inspectorate who regulate and inspect care services under their Quality Frameworks.

The Resource currently has 42 registered services all listed opposite. Many carers and their cared-for individuals are supported by these services. The Resource also can call on services from a number of private, voluntary, and independent service providers also regulated by the Care Inspectorate and operational within South Lanarkshire.

These services comprise of

one Adult Respite Service

14 Care Homes for Adults (Mental Health, Learning Disability, Physical Disability, Addictions)

37 Care Homes for Older People

21 Children’s Homes/Houses

5 Support Services (Day Supports)

35 Care at Homes Services and

26 Housing Support Services

South Lanarkshire Council Registered Care Service Inspections and Gradings

Child and Family Services

Service	Latest inspection	How well do we support people’s wellbeing?	How well is our care planned?	How good is our setting?	How good is our staff team?	How good is our leadership
Adoption Service	12/02/2018	5	5	N/A	5	5
Supported Carers	22/01/2018	5	5	N/A	5	5
Fostering Service	12/02/2018	5	5	N/A	5	4

Childrens Houses

Service	Latest inspection	How well do we support people’s wellbeing?	How well is our care planned?	How good is our setting?	How good is our staff team?	How good is our leadership?
Langlea Avenue	19/04/2022	5	5	5	5	5
Bardykes Road	29/07/2022	5	5	5	5	5
Rosslyn Avenue	13/005/2022	5	5	5	5	5
Hunters Crescent	29/04/2022	4	4	4	4	4
Station Road	19/05/2022	3	3	3	3	3
Hillhouse	30/06/2022	5	5	5	5	5

Care Homes – Older People

Service	Latest inspection	How well do we support people’s wellbeing?	How well is our care planned?	How good is our setting?	How good is our staff team?	How good is our leadership?
Meldrum Gardens	01/11/2019	4	4	5	3	5
Canderavon House	26/04/2022	4	4	4	5	4
McKillop Gardens	01/07/2022	5	5	5	5	5
McClymont House	31/05/2022	5	5	6	5	5
David Walker Gardens	11/11/2022	5	5	5	5	4
Dewar House	05/12/2019	3	3	5	5	4

Day Services – Adult and Older People

Service	Latest inspection	How well do we support people’s wellbeing?	How well is our care planned?	How good is our setting?	How good is out staff team?	How good is our leadership?
Lifestyles Lanark – Harry Smith Complex	12/08/201	6	6	6	6	6
Lifestyles Stonehouse	26/05/2017	5	5	5	4	5
Lifestyles Fairhill	22/01/2019	5	5	5	5	5
Lifestyles Carluke	19/05/2017	5	5	6	5	5
Lifestyles East Kilbride	13/12/2016	5	5	5	5	5
Lifestyles Eastfield	15/11/2017	5	5	5	5	4
Whitehill Day Centre	24/07/2018	5	5	5	5	5
Newberry Rooney Day Centre	22/11/2016	5	5	5	5	4
Meldrum Day Centre	05/06/2017	5	5	5	5	5
Saltire Day Centre	22/05/2018	5	5	5	5	5
Harry Heaney Day Centre	10/05/2019	5	5	5	5	5
McClymont Day Centre	05/08/2019	5	5	5	5	5
Lesmahagow Day Centre	07/02/2017	5	5	6	5	5
Canderavon Day Centre	16/02/2016	4	4	5	5	5
Jimmy Swinburne Day Centre	15/05/2018	5	5	5	4	5
St Andrews Day Centre	24/07/2019	5	4	5	5	5
Nisbet Day Centre	18/06/2019	5	5	5	5	5
Parkhall Day Centre	03/08/2018	5	5	5	5	4
Jenny MacLachlan Day Centre	10/01/2017	6	6	5	5	5

Care at Home Services

Service	Latest inspection	How well do we support people’s wellbeing?	How well is our care planned?	How good is our setting?	How good is our staff team?	How good is our leadership?
East Kilbride Care at Home Service	24/01/2020	4	4	N/A	5	5
Hamilton Care at Home Service	17/06/2021	3	3	N/A	3	3
Rutherglen/ Cambuslang Care at Home Service	24/11/2020	4	3	N/A	4	4
Clydesdale Care at Home Service	26/10/2018	5	5	N/A	4	5
Home First (East Kilbride and Rutherglen)	Registered 02/09/2022	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Home First (Clydesdale and Hamilton)	Registered 02/09/2022	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A

Housing Support Services

Service	Latest inspection	How well do we support people’s wellbeing?	How well is our care planned?	How good is our setting?	How good is our staff team?	How good is our leadership?
Care and Support Service (South)	20/05/2019	4	4	N/A	5	4
Blantyre Intermediate Care	Registered 15/12/2022	N/A

Grades guide:
1 Unsatisfactory
2 Weak
3 Adequate
4 Good
5 Very Good
6 Excellent

Self-directed Support

At the request of the Health and Social Care Partnership and following on from a National Survey undertaken by the Coalition of Carers, Lanarkshire Carers conducted a survey to gather the views of carers using the SDS Options. 418 carers were made aware of the survey through Lanarkshire Carers communication channels. 44 carers in receipt of self-directed support responded to the survey, 8 of which responded via communications initiated by partner organisations.

We know as a result of this survey and also the finding of the Care Inspectorate inquiry into Carers Experience of Health and Social Care services that we require to review and amend our support arrangements under Self-directed Support and target finite carer support resources to those most in need of our support.

Carer Census data submitted by the Health and Social Care Partnership identified 409 carers directly supported, with 352 carers receiving financial support. The financial commitment of this support is £1.3million. Work is underway to ensure the support to carers is targeted much more efficiently and equitably.

Adult Carer Support Plans and Young Carers Statements

The Carers Charter lists the rights that carers have under the Act, one of the rights relates to ACSP/YCS.

We have a partnership statement in place with Lanarkshire Carers regarding the delivery of Adult Carer Support Plans, where they take the lead for low and moderate, and the Health and Social Care Partnership takes the lead for substantial and critical support needs.

Carers have the right to:

an Adult Carer Support Plan or Young Carer Statement

to support to meet “eligible needs”

to be involved in services

to be involved in the discharge process of the person cared-for

Carers can access a range of information and advice. This is widely available on council and commissioned services websites, and a range of publications are currently being refreshed. Advocacy and Bereavement supports are identified in the Act, and both supports are available for carers in South Lanarkshire. General Advocacy services are currently being tendered and include an element of Carer Advocacy. The Haven supports bereavement support.

The council has an in-house Money Matters Service with dedicated Welfare Rights Officers Supporting carers in relation to benefits, debt and income maximation. Detailed below is the income generated for carers since the last Carers Strategy.

Year	Carers supported	Weekly benefits increases	Backdated benefits	Annual benefit amount
2020	1080	£106,837	£920,109	£6,475,633
2021	546	£66,500	£671,452	£4,129,352
2022	970	£54,985	£571,182	£3,428,998

Lanarkshire Carers is our commissioned service for Adult carers and provides a range of supports and services under contract. Listed below are some of the demands for service placed on them. They provide much more (counselling, legal clinics, training and awareness raising) in terms of practical support and assistance to carers.

New Carers identified in 2022/2023 – 1,113

Locality	Q4 Jan-Mar	Q3 Oct-Dec	Q2 Jul- Sept	Q1 Apr-Jun
Rutherglen/Cambuslang	70	56	55	54
East Kilbride/Strathaven	94	64	54	42
Hamilton/Blantyre	132	96	116	108
Clydesdale	43	39	40	50
Totals	339	255	265	254

Carers engaged/supported – 5,426

Locality	Q4 Jan-Mar	Q3 Oct-Dec	Q2 Jul-Sept	Q1 Apr-Jun
Rutherglen/Cambuslang	225	227	226	235
East Kilbride/Strathaven	338	299	297	350
Hamilton/Blantyre	500	530	567	531
Clydesdale	234	270	287	310
Totals	1,297	1,326	1,377	1,426

Services accessed – 25,133

Q4 Jan-Mar	Q3 Oct-Dec	Q2 Jul-Sept	Q1 Apr-Jun
7,516	5,916	6,363	5,338

Adult Carer Support Plans progressed in Quarter - 803

Locality	Q4 Jan-Mar	Q3 Oct-Dec	Q2 Jul-Sept	Q1 Apr-Jun
Rutherglen/Cambuslang	53	48	38	27
East Kilbride/Strathaven	80	66	46	35
Hamilton/Blantyre	77	73	84	45
Clydesdale	43	38	25	25
Totals	253	225	193	132

Carers grant funding

Carer flexible support fund	Q4 Jan-Mar	Q3 Oct-Dec	Q2 Jul-Sept	Q1 Apr-Jun	Total
Applications	73	65	48	16	202
Awarded to Carers	£39,675	£24,264	£18,262	£4,960	£87,161
Creative breaks Time to Live	Q4 Jan-Mar	Q3 Oct-Dec	Q2 Jul-Sept	Q4 Apr-Jun	Total
Applications	195	62	57	57	371
Awarded to Carers	£87,646	£23,132	£22,500	£14,848	£148,126
ScotSpirit Holiday Voucher Scheme	Q4 Jan-Mar	Q3 Oct-Dec	Q2 Jul-Sept	Q1 Apr-Jun	Total
Breaks booked	0	16	35	69	120
Value of breaks	0	£6,508	£13,887	£27,765	£48,160

Our Young Carers Service (Action for Children) link with Education Resources, Youth Learning Services with the organisation of clubs and activities for young carers based at Universal Connections sites across the council areas. There is a Young Carers Partnership Group, linking a range of partners from Health, Education, Social Work and the voluntary sector to ensure we support Young Carers at the appropriate age and stage of their caring journey.

Awareness raising has been targeted at the secondary school young carers population across South Lanarkshire. With promotional materials and talks being delivered directly to pupils. Action for Children won the VASLAN award for Partnership and Collaboration and provided £10,000 worth of supermarket vouchers direct to young carers and their families in 2021-22.

Lanarkshire Carers services includes a Carer Training Programme. Carers can access a range of opportunities that focus on their caring role, carers health and wellbeing, specific conditions and moving on from caring. Information about what’s on is shared through their newsletter, website and social media platforms.

It is worth noting that support to unpaid carers has increased since the pandemic, which saw increased demand for a range of supports as traditional services were challenged with their delivery model, increase in demand for PPE, financial advice, and practical support continue.

The COVID recovery journey is still a long and winding road ahead of us, finding and securing a workforce to provide care and support, dealing the with the cost of living and energy charges crisis, pressure on council budgets and resources all make for challenging times ahead. However, with commitment to the principles of Equal Partners in Care, we all have a contribution to make to ensure our people, communities and unpaid carers are supported to continue to care in good health and wellbeing.

8. Services and support available

The previous chapter/section referred to some of the ways in which we have addressed demand for support/services from carers, this section will contain some further information on access to services and also input directly from those services we commission in their own words.

The Health and Social Care Partnership in South Lanarkshire comprises elements of the councils Social Work Resources and the Health Boards Community Based Services, ensuring all work together in an integrated fashion to improve the national outcomes and in particular the identified Carer Outcomes.

The Strategic Commissioning Plan 2022-2025 identifies as its Priority 5 Supporting Carers, and the National Health and Wellbeing outcome 6: People who provide unpaid care are supported to look after their own health and wellbeing, including to reduce any negative impact of their caring role on their own health and wellbeing are a focus for
the HSCP.

If you have a social work enquiry, you will be directed to your local social work office. Our offices are based in Cambuslang, East Kilbride, Hamilton, and Lanark.

Staff within these teams will seek to deal with and resolve the issues that your raise to contact us:

Phone: 0303 123 1008

www.southlanarkshire.gov.uk/info/200146/social_care_and_health

If you wish to find out more information on our support to carers and caring please visit the council website:

www.southlanarkshire.gov.uk/info/200220/carers_and_caring/2135/carers_and_caring

Money Matters Advice Service

The Money Matters Advice Service is a free and confidential service that helps people living in South Lanarkshire or working for South Lanarkshire Council claim benefits and deal with debt.

We can give you free unbiased advice on a range of benefit and debt issues and will work with you by discussing all your options and come up with a plan together. We can help with:

the cost-of-living crisis including advice on energy arrears

gas and electricity top up vouchers

debt advice including mortgage and rent arrears and dealing with creditors

benefits advice

budgeting

Please complete our online form at: www.southlanarkshire.gov.uk/xfp/forms

or

Phone: 0300 029 0041

Lanarkshire Carers

Lanarkshire Carers is commissioned by the Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) to provide carer engagement, empowerment and representation services along with dedicated information, advice and a range of direct support services to unpaid carers.

Lanarkshire Carers delivers personalised, and case managed, emotional and practical help through meaningful, outcome focussed conversations with trusted, skilled and experienced professionals. Services include telephone and drop in/appointment based daily duty service, along with access to NHS attend anywhere and video conference call facilities.

Lanarkshire Carers Short Breaks Bureau supports with a range of activities including individual carer grant funding. Lanarkshire Carers Groupwork activities include a comprehensive Carer Training Programme which is carer-led and shaped. Carer Wellbeing Calls support a journey route tiered approach to case management and outgoing/ongoing carer contact. The service also delivers a Lanarkshire Carers Card scheme and independent services in partnership with others, including legal services and carers counselling support, as well as a range of other services available at no cost to carers.

Part of this commissioned service includes delegated responsibility for Lanarkshire Carers to discharge some of the duties of HSCP to deliver Adult Carer Support Plans, a partnership agreement sets out the respective and shared responsibilities for this and collaborative working arrangements that support
the approach.

Lanarkshire Carers also has dedicated Locality Services, a Hospital Linked Project, a Black Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) Carer service, online platforms and web-based services including CarerSpace – an online conversation toolkit for carers and a Professionals Portal supporting people who come in contact with carers.

Carers can self-refer to the organisation and facilities are also in place for professionals from any organisation to make direct referrals: www.lanarkshirecarers.org.uk/referrals or by contacting/calling in.

Visit: www.lanarkshirecarers.org.uk for contact details.

Action for Children – Young Carers Service

At South Lanarkshire Young Carers, we aim to reduce the isolation experienced by young carers and support them come to understand and support their parent’s or other family member’s illness or condition. We teach young carers how to cope with the pressures they face and guide them to build positive relationships.

We make sure young carers get regular short breaks and can join in fun activities with other young people. We offer practical and emotional support to ensure young carers enjoy and achieve, just like their peers.

We work in partnership with schools, social care, health services, GPs, and voluntary sector organisations to meet the needs of young carers and their families. We play a role in advocacy and awareness raising, within schools, workplaces and within the general public in South Lanarkshire.

Our aim is to support the Carers (Scotland) Act 2016 objectives for young carers, ensuring they are better supported on a more consistent basis so that they can continue to care,
if they so wish, in good health and wellbeing while allowing them to have a life alongside caring.

The overriding aim of our service for young carers is that they should have a childhood similar to their non-carer peers. Isolation and loneliness are reduced and that young carers are enabled to be children and young people first. Our work follows GIRFEC principles and values, and we use the eight wellbeing indicators (SHANARRI) in collaboration, with our young carers and their families.

For more information or to make a referral, visit the following:

www.southlanarkshireyoungcarers.org/referral-form/ or visit our website at: www.southlanarkshireyoungcarers.org/

The Haven

The Haven provides tailored programmes of supportive services – designed specifically for carers –
to enhance and strengthen resilience and wellbeing.

At The Haven we know that while caring for someone with a life-limiting illness can be positive and rewarding it can also sometimes be a challenging experience.

The Haven’s multidisciplinary team comprising of Haven Nurses, Children and Family Service Co-ordinator and Support Worker and Wellbeing Practitioners, can support carers to manage the physical and emotional impact of their caring responsibilities, to look after their own health and wellbeing and to access short breaks from caring. The Haven also provides pre and post bereavement support for carers.

Services are confidential and are delivered online, by telephone or in-person by pre-booked appointments.

Carers don’t need to care on their own – The Haven is here for carers every step of the way.

To arrange support, please contact The Haven during opening hours:
Monday to Thursday, 10am-4pm or Friday 10am-1pm by phoning 01555 811846 or emailing: info@thehavencentre.com

Further information about support services can also be found on the website:
www.thehavencentre.com

Lanarkshire Links

Lanarkshire Links has always been committed to listening to people with lived experience of mental health and their carers about the issues affecting their lives, their care and their support, to ensure their experience drives improvement and change in services in support. Our reputation for involving, informing and influencing positive changes in local communities is evidenced by our strong and growing membership.

Lanarkshire Links have reinvigorated the Mental Health Issues Groups as Recovery Conversation Café’s in local communities throughout Lanarkshire, where members of old and new come together to start the process of rebuilding relationships, building links within the community, sharing experiences, provide vital feedback on support and services received, raise any concerns about issues affecting them, support and hear about developments in health, social care and events that may be of interest.

Our conversation cafés provide a safe, warm and supportive environment where everyone is welcomed and their experiences are valued, and friendships are made. To find out more visit our website at:

www.lanarkshirelinks.org.uk

Take Control

Take Control South Lanarkshire is the Self-directed Support Service providing information and assistance to enable all eligible people to explore the 4 options for independent living outlined in the Social Care (Self-directed Support) (Scotland) Act 2013. Take Control’s aim is to promote independent living by helping people gain the information, skills, and support to overcome barriers and make informed choices.

We can assist disabled people or anyone authorised to act on behalf of a disabled person to set up and manage their support arrangements.

Our experienced Support Team will work with the disabled person or appointee to help them to get involved in all the activities detailed in their support plan.

Independent living means all disabled people having the same freedom, choice, dignity and control as other citizens at home, at work and in the community.

It does not mean fending for themselves. It means having the support they need to live an ordinary life.

Take Control is part of Glasgow Centre for Inclusive Living, (GCIL) a disabled people’s organisation run by disabled people for disabled people.

For more information please contact:

Take Control – South Lanarkshire

Self-Directed Support Service

42 Campbell Street

Hamilton ML3 6AS

Phone: 01698 892372

Email: infosl@takectrl.org.uk

9. Emergency Planning Anticipatory Care Planning

Emergency Plan

When undertaking an Adult Carer Support Plan or Young Carer Statement unpaid carers need to think about arrangements they may need to put in place for the care of the cared for person in an emergency.

Reflecting on the importance of emergency planning to provide the carer with an agreed plan and peace of mind. Emergency planning (contingency planning) includes planning for unplanned emergencies. For example, the carer not being able to care due to ill health; family emergency; adverse weather etc.

Enable Scotland have developed an Emergency Planning Toolkit that is national recognised as best practice. For further details follow the website to templates that will assist you think about your emergency plan.

Anticipatory Care Planning

As part of an Adult Carer Support Plan conversation, the need to discuss Anticipatory Care Plan (Thinking Ahead) may be required.

An Anticipatory Care Plan is a record of the preferred actions, interventions and responses that care providers should make following a clinical deterioration or a crisis in the person’s care or support. It should be reviewed and updated as the condition or the personal circumstances change and different things take priority.

As the condition becomes more complex it may be helpful to discuss legal and practical issues as well as care and support preferences.

For further information refer to the following website:

www.gov.scot/publications/anticipatory-care-planning-frequently-asked-questions/

10. What carers told us to improve

In accordance with our commitment to engage with our stakeholders, a number of consultation events took place – both virtually and in person. Carers were invited to attend and participate in consultation sessions held within Lanarkshire Carers Centre in order for us to hear what was important to them and we also shared the work we had done to date.

Key themes that emerged from these sessions included:

Improved identification of carers, particularly early identification for preventative support

Improved carer awareness for staff within the Health and Social Care Partnership

Improved joint working between Social Work and other involved agencies such as CAMHS and Education

More consistency in information provided to carers

Improved access to statutory services

More accessible information and better signposting with regards to the SDS processes and procedures

Improved outcome-based conversations at the beginning of the SDS process

Increased opportunities for peer support, social and friendship community-based activities

Improved access to locally based peer support groups

Carers to be fully involved in the discharge planning process

Increase in services specific to the BAME community with more written information available in various languages

Health and Social Care Partnership to engage more with carers for their voices to be heard in relation to the people they care for

Health and Social Care Partnership to improve timeframes when interacting with carers

Improved engagement with staff within Health and Social Care Partnership, and improved understanding of the rights of carers

11.	Improvement Plan aligned to our priorities

An improvement plan will be developed and monitored by the Carers Partnership Group, with a least three improvement activities identified under each of our priorities and assurances that what carers told us to improve will be included in these actions.

Priority 1 – carers are identified, involved and valued

Priority 2 – carers have choice and control, allowing them to balance their own life with their caring role

Priority 3 – carers can access the right support and services at the right time

Priority 4 – carers have a positive experience of being a carer

12. Useful contacts and resources

There is a wide range of resources available both locally and nationally for carers. Carers can access information by visiting the following websites of the listed organisations to find out about the range of supports and services available.

Many of these organisations will be able to offer carers information, advice, guidance, and signposting.

Local organisations

Lanarkshire Carers
www.lanarkshirecarers.org.uk

Action for Children
www.southlanarkshireyoungcarers.org

Alzheimer Scotland
www.alzscot.org/

Lanarkshire Links
www.lanarkshirelinks.org.uk/

Take Control
www.facebook.com@takectrlsl.org.uk

The Haven
www.thehavencentre.com/

NHS services

NHS Lanarkshire
www.nhslanarkshire.scot.nhs.uk/hospitals/

National carer organisations

Carers Scotland
www.carersuk.org/

MECOPP
www.mecopp.org.uk/

Carers Trust Scotland
www.carers.org

Shared Care Scotland
www.sharedcarescotland.org.uk/

Coalition of Carers Scotland
www.carersnet.org/

For the person you care for

Self-directed Support
www.southlanarkshire.gov.uk/info/200220/carers_and_caring/985/self-directed_support

Local office contact details

Local social work offices are open Monday to Thursday 8.45am – 4.45pm
and Friday 8.45am – 4.15pm

Clydesdale local office

Council Offices

South Vennel

Lanark ML11 7JT

Phone: 0303 123 1008

Hamilton/Larkhall/Blantyre local office

Brandon Gate

1 Leechlee Road

Hamilton ML3 0XB

Phone: 0303 123 1008

East Kilbride local office

Civic Centre

Andrew Street

East Kilbride G74 1AB

Phone: 0303 123 1008

Rutherglen/Cambuslang local office

Council Offices

Cambuslang Gate

27 Main Street

Cambuslang G72 7EX

Phone: 0303 123 1008

Social Work Emergency Service
Phone: 0303 123 1008

This number is only available when the local offices are closed.

Carers Strategy Plan on a Page

Vision: People who provide unpaid care (Adult Carers/Young Carers) are supported to look after their own health and wellbeing and have a life alongside caring.

Values/Priority:

Identify, Involve, Value

Choice, Control, Life Balance

Right Support, Right Time

Positive Experience

Context:

Changing needs and demographics of the population

Pandemic recovery/Cost of living crisis

Participation, involvement, consultation

Delivering and shaping of supports and services

Providing cares with the right support at the right time

Evaluation and monitoring of our supports and services

Aims:

Early Identification and Preventative Support

Outcome focussed conversations. Adult Carer Support Plans/Young Carers Statement

Improved supports and services including Hospital Discharge

Carers can continue to care with good health and wellbeing. Better outcomes for carers

Legislative backdrop

The Carers (Scotland) Act 2016

Carers rights

Information and advice

Income maximisation

Education/Training

Advocacy

Counselling

Bereavement Support

Social Care Self-directed Support (Scotland) Act

Identified Eligible Needs

Adult Carer Support Plan/Young Carer Statement

Direct Payment

The choice of who provides your care

Public Bodies (joint Working) (Scotland) Act 2014

Integration Joint Board

Carers rep on IJB

Health and Social Care Partnership Strategic Commissioning Plan

Equality Act 2010

Protection against discrimination – age, disability, gender, reassignment, marriage and civil partnerships, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation

If you need this information in another language or format, please contact us to discuss how we can best meet your needs.

Phone: 0303 123 1015

Email: equalities@southlanarkshire.gov.uk