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.
The Lambeth Carers Strategy seeks to improve the quality of life of unpaid carers in our borough.
We are working towards ensuring all carers are:
- able to have a life of one’s own alongside caring
- protected from financial hardship caused by their caring role
- supported to stay mentally and physically well
- respected as care and support partners at the heart of decision making
- (young carers) able to enjoy a thriving childhood and are protected from inappropriate caring roles.
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
The London Borough of Lambeth and South East London Integrated Care Board have a joint carers strategy - ‘Working together with Families and Carers- A Framework for Action’.
The outcomes and priorities set out in the framework were informed by the views of families, carers, Carers’ Hub Lambeth and stakeholders gathered from a range of surveys, service development work and engagement events.
The group overseeing the work of the strategy is the Carers Collaborative Strategy Group, who have been most recently focussing on:
- building the Lambeth Carers Card offer – to recognise carers and their vital contribution to our community
- raising awareness of carers in Lambeth – to increase understanding within local services and the wider community
- responding to the impact of Covid 19 - to support carers navigate the challenges resulting from the pandemic
- working with local partners and services – to improve support and ensure carers become everyone’s business.
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 alongside regular engagement with local carers.
Summary of Carers Strategy (PDF, 145KB)
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.