Our vision is for families and carers in Lambeth to feel recognised, valued and included as equal partners in the support and care for the person they care for. Equally we want families and carers to have full, enjoyable and confident lives in their own right alongside their caring role.
Who are unpaid carers?
A carer is anyone who cares, unpaid, for a friend or family member who due to illness, disability, a mental health problem or an addiction cannot cope without their support.
Caring roles can vary, some carers look after someone full time, while others share the care with a friend or family member, or juggle caring with paid employment or education. However, big or small the caring role, it is vital that carers get the information and support they need.
The Lambeth Carers Strategy seeks to support unpaid carers, including young carers, who live in Lambeth or care for someone who does.
Background
Since 2017, the London Borough of Lambeth and South East London Integrated Commissioning System (formerly Clinical Commissioning Group) have had a joint carers strategy, which set out plans and actions to bring together carers with both statutory and non-statutory agencies to collaborate and support carers in our borough.
This led to the formation of the Carers Collaborative Strategy Group (CCSG), which consists of health and social care workers, carers and representatives from voluntary sector organisations working with carers in Lambeth.
The Carers Collaborative Strategy Group has:
- Worked together with a wide range of local partners and services, to improve support and ensure carers become everyone's business
- Launched the Lambeth Carers Card to recognise carers and their vital contribution to our community.
- Built the Carers Collaborative Network, bringing together carer organisations and carer leads in Lambeth
- Maximised opportunities to raise awareness of carers in Lambeth, to increase understanding within local services and the wider community
Lambeth Carers Strategy 2024-2029
We are building on the success of the 2017 framework and have refreshed our strategy to address the issues that carers are facing in our borough today.
The landscape affecting carers has significantly changed since the Lambeth Carers Strategy was first developed in 2017 and it is essential that our work in Lambeth takes account of these changes and addresses new challenges which may have arisen.
The new strategy has been developed in partnership with Carers Hub Lambeth, and has been informed by close collaboration and consultation with unpaid carers, the people who support them, the Carers Collaborative Strategy Group, health and care agencies, the local voluntary sector and the wider community.
We have developed seven priorities to deliver our shared vision for how we will support carers in Lambeth:
- Mental, physical and emotional wellbeing of carers
- Integrated carers pathway and support offer
- Equipped workforce
- Visibility, recognition, identification and awareness of Carers
- Empowering Carers
- Carer equity
- Helping to prevent carers from financial hardship
To deliver these priorities, actions and workstreams have been identified for each. These will involve a number of organisations including Lambeth Council, the South East London Integrated Commissioning System, Carers Hub, local community organisations alongisde regular engagement with local carers.
If you would like to be kept in the loop with progress on the new strategy and opportunities to get involved with the Carers Collaborative Strategy Group , Carers Collaborative Network or carer involvement opportunities please contact Carers’ Hub Lambeth on connect@carershub.org.uk or 020 7501 8970.