Carers encouraged to make their voices heard by filling in new survey

Unpaid carers of adults and children are being asked to have their say to help design services that support them.

The survey will help to fully understand what life is like for carers and how effectively they are being supported when they need it.

It also aims to explore how carers feel about their role and their views on any support they may be receiving. 

This survey is for all carers. This includes children and young people under 18 who care for a family member or friend - to understand what support they receive and from who, such as their school or college or a carers support service. 

The survey can be filled in online by visiting www.stoke.gov.uk/carerssurvey. Alternatively, people can call 01782 231550 and leave a message – then a member of the team will call back to complete the survey over the phone.

The survey runs from 5 March until 2 April.

Councillor Sarah Hill - Cabinet Member for Children’s Services at Stoke-on-Trent City Council - said: “Unpaid carers play a really important role providing essential care for family members, friends or neighbours.”

“Lots of carers, especially young carers, don’t identify themselves as carers. They simply see themselves as a relative, friend or neighbour. That means they could be missing out on valuable support.

“We want them and the person they care for to feel included, have a voice and tell us how they feel so we can make the best decisions.”   

Councillor Duncan Walker - Cabinet Member for Adult Services at Stoke-on-Trent City Council - said: “We are currently talking to unpaid carers to fully understand what life is like for them and how they are being supported when they need support themselves.

“It is vital we know how carers feel about their role – and the findings from this survey will help us to see how well carers are supported and if there are areas we need to improve on.”

North Staffs Carers provide a support service for all carers. They work alongside a number of local partner organisations, as well as the council’s Young Carers Assessment Team and Adult Social Care, to maximise support and bring together services to form a clear pathway forward.

This aims to ensure carers receive seamless individualised support throughout their caring journey. 

For more details about the service visit: www.carersfirst.com/s-o-t-all-age-carers-service