Carers

Carers Services at Bracknell Forest Voluntary Action

Carers play a vital part in enabling ill, frail and vulnerable people to remain independent and stay in their own homes.  Without unpaid, informal Carers it is believed and rightly so, that social and health services would collapse.

In 2001, Bracknell Forest had an adult population of 89,000; 9,000 of these adults registered as Carers, this is 1 in 10 or 10% of our local population. This is a huge number of people, and because the Census does not include statistics for those under 16 it is difficult to calculate how many Young Carers there are in our borough.

Without help, advice and support Carers can become isolated, depressed and suffer ill-health. if this happens, they may no longer be able or willing to continue caring. By caring for our Carers we care for their dependent, this can save time, money and most importantly can make people’s lives better for the future.

Our services are not a core function of Bracknell Forest Voluntary Action. We receive grant funding from the Department of Health via Bracknell Forest Borough Council, to provide a service to Carers.

• Our services are focused on 2 groups of Carers:

• Young Carers i.e. those under the age of 18

• Adult Carers, those over the age of 18 caring for someone who is also over the age of 18.

Our main services include:

• Administering the Individual Carers Grant, this is funds given directly to Carers to enable them to get a break from caring.

• Providing respite in the form of social events, learning events and community events.

• Providing respite to Young Carers in the form of play and youth groups, activities during the school holidays and annual trips away.

• Providing information and advice, via a database of Carers, through a newsletter, our website and various events.

• Providing one to one information, advice and support sessions to Carers of all ages.

• Ensuring that Carers issues are kept high on the local agenda, by representing Carers on strategic boards, and chairing the Carers Strategy Group.

The linked pages are dedicated to the Carers Grant, Adult Carers and Young Carers.  On the Downloads page you will find leaflets for each service.

Useful Link

www.thecarer.co.uk/home.htm which focuses on the practicalities and emotional needs of caring and may be of interest.