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Main Content: Caring with confidence launched
Caring with Confidence, a free course for carers in England, has been launched today – with the aim of helping carers make a positive difference to their lives. The programme, backed by Carers UK, will offer support and help to carers across England who don’t know where to begin when it comes to accessing the services and benefits available to them.
Around 4.9 million people (1) are estimated to provide unpaid care in England and new research (2) from Caring with Confidence has revealed as many as 62% - or more than three million do not view themselves as carers.
Imelda Redmond, Chief Executive of Carers UK, said “Becoming a carer can be a real battle. People have to fight their way through a baffling array of paperwork and agencies to get the support they need, whilst also coming to terms with huge and difficult changes to their lives. This comes on top of juggling existing family and work commitments. For these reasons caring can be one of the most stressful things we face in our life times. We know this type of training session can really help those carers who are struggling with their role.”
This Caring with Confidence programme is delivered through face-to-face local group sessions or from home for those carers who can’t get out, using workbooks or the internet. It will run via a network of 32 providers (3) throughout England. The provider organisations who deliver the local sessions have been carefully selected for their ability to meet the needs of carers and recruit them to their sessions.
Stephen Jacobs, OBE, Caring with Confidence Project Board Chair, said: “The contribution made by carers is huge, but it is a role that is often taken on at short notice and without preparation, leaving carers to struggle with the vital responsibilities that they have assumed - this is where Caring with Confidence can help.”
For further information, visit www.caringwithconfidence.net.
-ENDS-
1 Based on 2001 Census data.
2 The research referred to in the press release was conducted by an independent market research company during February, March and April 2008. The study saw 1084 carers contacted and six detailed group discussions were held.
3 Providers of face-to-face group sessions:
- Age Concern Birmingham
- Alzheimer’s Society
- Barnet Carers Training Working Group Adult Social Service, London Borough of Barnet
- Black and Minority Ethnic Carers Support Service
- The Carers Centre (Bristol & South Gloucestershire)
- The Carers’ Resource – Bradford
- The Carers’ Resource – North Yorkshire
- Carers Support Centre
- Carers Support (West Wiltshire)
- Carers Together
- CLASP The Carers Centre
- Derbyshire Carers Association
- Gloucestershire County Council
- The Greenwich Carers Centre
- Hammersmith and Fulham Carers Centre
- Jewish Care
- The Lesbian & Gay Foundation
- London Borough of Hounslow (West London Gay Men’s Project on behalf of GMI Partnership)
- Making Space
- Manchester Carers Centre
- NHS Bolton
- NHS East of England
- NHS Hull
- North West Kent Carers Support Service
- Omega The National Association for End of Life Care
- Oxfordshire Carers Forum
- South Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust
- South Warwickshire Carers Support Service/Guideposts Trust Carers Support Service
- St Helens Carers Centre
- Suffolk Carers
- Sunderland Carers Centre
- West Anglia Crossroads Caring for Carers