Carers and caring

Lanarkshire Carers is commissioned by South Lanarkshire Health and Social Care Partnership (SLHSCP) 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 Group Work 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 SLHSCP 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 a dedicated Locality Services, 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 using the online form or by contacting/calling in to their offices.

Facilities are also in place for professionals from any organisation to make direct referrals online.

For more information about the support Lanarkshire Carers provides visit their website.

Action for Children raise awareness, identify and provide direct support to children and young people who look after or help look after someone in their family who is unwell or disabled, including children caring for parents who have mental health or substance misuse problems.

The direct support they provide includes:

• Young carers needs assessment
• Personal support, advice and guidance
• Individual group support
• Activities during school holidays
• Short and residential breaks
• Help to access specialist services
• Help to access universal services such as leisure and youth services

They also provide local drop-ins at local schools and colleges.

For more information or to make a referral visit the  Action for Children website.