Carers FIRST

Description

Corona Virus service update

Although we have suspended face to face services during the pandemic we are still providing services by phone and online including:

• Virtual support groups
• Issuing Hackney Carers Cards to enable carers to access discounts on some services and help act as identification if challenged when shopping while social distancing is required
• Applying for individual grants for vulnerable carers who are facing hardship and/or particular challenges due to covid-19, for example white goods or purchase of a tablet to help carers stay in touch with friends and family
• Wellbeing support and information from our Carers Hub and local Community Teams or via phone or e-mail.

Weekly Web chat sessions

• Monday, Wednesday, Friday mornings 9am –11am  
• Tuesday and Friday afternoons 2-4pm
• Wednesday evenings  6-8pm

Who we are…

Carers FIRST delivers the Integrated Carer Support Service across the London Borough of Hackney supporting people who look after a relative or friend who due to ill health, physical or mental illness, disability, frailty, or addiction cannot manage without their support.

Carers First provide information, advice, guidance, emotional support, training and activities, giving carers an opportunity to have a break from their caring role and help them to get the support they need. 

What we do…

The Carers First team are not office based and can provide emotional and practical support for you in your community to help you with your caring role, so you feel less alone and more in control.

Carers FIRST can provide one-to-one support to help you understand your situation and will work and plan with you to make things easier by:

• Providing tailored information and advice and guidance

• Provide the opportunity to talk in detail about your caring role and co-produce a plan to support you, linking into services provided by us and other local organisations

• Supporting you to access and prepare for a carer's assessment

• Supporting you with conversations with people including GPs, hospitals and social care professionals

• Offering opportunities to access practical training to help you with your caring role through workshops

• Supporting you to maximise you household income by providing specialist information about welfare benefits and financial support

• Providing opportunities to attend support groups and activities where you can meet others in a similar situation to yourself

• Staying in regular contact through our Carers Hub phone line, website, monthly e-bulletins and regular “What’s On” guides

• Providing access to talk to other carers and share peer support through our on-line Carers Forum

• Offering support for carers to plan for now, the future and emergencies

• Providing opportunities for carers to become involved in helping develop and improve services for carers

• Support with writing a “What if..” plan to help in the event a carer is unable to continue caring in the short term (for example if they are ill).

• Issue Hackney Carers Cards to enable carers to access discounts on some services, act as identification to help when shopping

Carers do not have to wait until they are struggling or there is a crisis to ask for support. If you are a carer in Hackney please do get in touch to find out how we can help support you.

If you are new to caring or have yet to register with us, please call our Carers Hub, or complete the online referral form and someone will call you back as soon as they are able to.