Giving Parent Carers More Confidence!

Caring with Confidence now has over 300 Carers registered on the programme.

We run sessions open to any Carer and have tailored sessions to specific groups, our latest being for Parent Carers. Sessions are currently being delivered at Battledown Children’s and Family Centre and The Milestone School, and planned for September at The Shrubberies. Melissa attended our first Parent Carer programme at The Spring Centre, Quedgeley, here is her story:

“I am Melissa, 38 and caring for my Grandad, 94 with late stage Alzheimers, my eldest son Sam, 18 who has autism, my youngest son Josh, 16 with arthritis and I have a daughter of 15 and my husband.

I have been caring for Grandad since he came to live with us five years ago. My 18 year old was diagnosed as a small child but my 16 year old was only diagnosed two years ago and has weekly chemotherapy.

I attended the Caring with Confidence programme in March. I found many benefits from attending; I made some new coffee morning friends, I found out about other sources of help I had previously never heard of and I realised I could, and should, make time just for me. I also learned about lots of other services we could possibly access and I relaxed into the idea that I share the same problems as others and am not unusual or failing.

I have changed many things in the way I undertake my 'work' now - firstly I try to slow down a bit and take time to think. Planning things out in steps was taught on the course and this has been invaluable as I tend to rush along and then get bogged down, I am now forward planning and I find it gets the job done with a lot less stress. A main focus of the course was making time for myself and since attending I realise how important this is. I am trying, and have pre-booked theatre tickets so I HAVE to go out now and then having already paid. This is something I enjoy and I realised after the course that I am entitled to have my own time too.

I would encourage people to attend the course whatever their caring role, even if you think you know everything you need to know. Partly because it's just good to have some time out with like minded people, and partly because there is always something new happening/available, that might make life a little easier. And making life easier is a good aim!”

PARENT CARERS COUNCIL PRIORITIES

From the Parents at Esporta 8th March 2010

2010-2011

• Better healthcare and communication between professionals, hospitals, doctors (cross county borders too).
• Better co-ordination of appointments.
• Health care: Database of dentists & other health professionals.
• Shorter waiting times for Occupational Therapists.
• Sharing of information (avoid repetition). • Better access to own social worker (or new one if not happy).
• More joined up services for Behaviour / Emotional / Mental Health / disability so children and parents do not full through gaps.

• Realistic short break provision.
• Database for holiday and breaks for special needs.
• More provision for special needs under 8’s and plus post 16.
• Improve Parent Carers’ lives – appropriate education/employment (educate employers).
• Special need friendly venues (lists of) e.g. restaurants/pubs.
• Book restaurant for a day & take over with families with disabled children.
• More support for parents/cares (single parents).
• Help in transition – adult services involvement 17.
• Network of babysitters (so parent could go out for 2 hours in eve). Parents can’t always leave child with severe disabilities as worried.

• Knowing more about entitlements.
• Clarity about criteria – who gets what and why.
• Speed processes up e.g. CAFs
• More transparent guidance (i.e. parents can see) what CAF assessors get & better guidance for CAF assessors in mainstream settings regarding children with disabilities.
• Warm front grants etc discriminate against children getting DLA.
• Ensure lessening funds are spent wisely.

GLOUCESTERSHIRE PARENT CARERS ACHEIVEMENTS 2009-2010

• Parents continue to sit on the Short Breaks Commissioning Group
• Transition Champions
• Individual Budgets
• Two parents are on the Speech, Language and Communication Review Steering Group
• Two parents asked to review the Early Years information booklet
• Two parents asked to attend the Early Years Autistic Spectrum Disorder Review
• Attendance at two participation events in the South West organised by Contact a Family and Together for Disabled Children in respect of the Grant money
• Awareness raising day in February 2009
• Parent Carer day led by Calderdale Parent and Carer Council in March 2009
• Continued input into the parent meeting at the Carers Forum.
• Early Years Support Steering Group to commence April 2010
• Parent Partnership Steering Group
• Invited to attend The Key management meeting
• Supporting other parents and finding out the issues
• Training given to professionals by parents
• Recruitment of social workers
• Children and Young People with behavioural, emotional and social disorders review.

Download January Parent Carer Forum >>