Council to launch new Joint All Age Carers Strategy to support carers’ wellbeing

Stoke-on-Trent City Council is set to approve a new vision to support carers of all ages in the city.

The Stoke-on-Trent All Age Carers Strategy is based around five priorities for action, which together will ensure people have the help they need.

The new strategy is a partnership between the city council and the Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Integrated Care Board (ICB) and has been drawn up after widespread consultation with carers across the city.

Local data shows that more than 10 percent of residents aged five or over provide unpaid care to a family member or friend.

In addition, almost half of these say they provide up to 19 hours of unpaid care each week.

This means that around 26,000 children and adults in Stoke-on-Trent are providing unpaid care.

The priorities for action in the new strategy are:

1. Better guidance and advice – this will include new training opportunities, more accessible information and easier access to financial and job support.
2. Young carers – they will be recognised early in their caring role to enable schools, health services and other bodies to provide practical help.
3. Health and wellbeing – this will ensure carers can participate in social activities, maintain their physical and mental health and have access to career break opportunities to allow for periods of rest.
4. Choice and control – carers’ voices will be heard and their contributions recognised.
5. Personalised online assessments – these will identify carers’ needs and show the impact of caring on their wellbeing.

Councillor Duncan Walker, cabinet member for adult social care and all age commissioning at Stoke-on-Trent City Council, said: “Caring for somebody is a huge responsibility and it is essential that carers of all ages feel supported.

“This new strategy will ensure all carers get the right support, advice and information they need to help them maintain their physical and mental health and have a balance between their caring duties and their life outside of caring.

“A lot of people do not realise that what they do constitutes being a carer and therefore do not think they are entitled to support. Therefore, it is vital that we reach as many of these carers as possible and this strategy will help us achieve this, as we continue as a city council to create a healthier standard of living for all our residents.”

For more help on finding the support carers and the people they are looking after need, visit the council's Bettercare Portal: Bettercare support for adults | Begin your self-assessment | Stoke-on-Trent