CECG 19.11.08
Agenda Item: 4
Hertfordshire Chief Executives’ Co-ordinating Group
19 November 2008
Implications of New National Carers Strategy for District Councils in Hertfordshire
Authors:Tim Anfilogoff, Head of User and Carer Focus, HCC Adult Care Services
Laurel Farrington Older People's Services/Strategy Manager
Stevenage Borough Council
Date:11 November 2008
1. Reason for Paper
This paper sets out some proposals around how District/Borough Councils can work in partnership with the Hertfordshire Multi-Agency Strategy Group (PCTs, HPFT, Job Centre Plus, Carers in Hertfordshire, Age Concern etc) to:
- get the best possible outcomes for their local residents from existing and new resources available
- co-ordinate the carers’ strategy with other strategies (eg health and well-being, economic prosperity etc)
- influence the development of the local strategy and implementation of the revised National Strategy (June 2008)
2. National Demography – the scale of the issue
Every day 6,000 people take on new caring responsibilities, performing a crucial role in families and in their wider communities, by providing support, care and help with day-to-day tasks to those who otherwise would struggle to manage alone.
There is no fixed group that needs care. Support might be needed by relatives, friends, children, older people, people with disabilities or those who are ill. Caring has never been a sectional interest – everyone has the potential to become a carer, and it is likely that in the future more and more of us will. The number of people aged over 85 – the age group most likely to need care – is set to double over the next 20 years, affecting many more families.
Traditionally [unpaid] caring has been seen as women’s work – and 70 per cent of it is still done by women but as our culture continues to change so too will this figure. Nine per cent of men now have caring responsibilities compared with 11 per cent of women. Caring is increasingly part of all our lives.
Carers at the heart of 21st century families and communities: a caring system on your side, a life of your own, DH June 2008
3. Relevant papers (attached)[1]
- Appendix 1: Carers in Hertfordshire Contact List, by LSP area
- Appendix 2: (Draft) Key performance data for LSP areas on carers
- Appendix 3: Some data about Hertfordshire Carers
4. Key contexts
- 1:10 of the population in Hertfordshire has a caring responsibility and 1:7 of the workforce (in the statutory sector this rises to 1:5)
- 1:5 working carers gives up work to care
- Local learning from the ESF funded Action for Carers and Employment project is that most carers giving up work don’t feel they have a choice (they may not recognise themselves as carers, or know anything about services) and census data shows 2,000 carers are actively seeking work
- 30% of carers care for five years or more before identifying themselves as carers and seeking support
- Young carers: the 2001 census found 3,014 children and young people (under 19) providing care in Hertfordshire with 184 caring for more than 50 hours per week
4. Performance
LAA target (NI 135) needs to grow from 14.5% baseline in 2007/08 to 21% in 2010/11. It is important that LSPs and partners understand their role in supporting delivery. Sign-posting carers and hearing their concerns will be key. Comprehensive Area Assessment will focus on ‘How well do local priorities express community needs & aspirations?’ ACS and Carers in Hertfordshire can support LSPs in ensuring carer engagement in this process.
5. New resources available to help support carers in local areas
- Breaks for carers - £900k of PCT monies in 2009/10 and £1.8m in 2010/11
- Back to work support for carers – Job Centre Plus will have £38m for England from 2009/10. They will employ Care Partnership managers (probably one for Herts and Beds) to support carers with advice and funding for courses and alternative care so they can take up opportunities
- £6m for England to support young carers
- £11m for England to train front line staff to signpost carers to support etc
- ACS would propose to support each LSP to help deliver on LAA target (NI 135) and improve outcomes for carers by providing them with needs and performance data
- ACS and HCC Personnel can share learning from Action for Carers and Employment (ACE) Project and award-winning Work Life Balance Policy (Carewise/Balance)
- HCC contacts through leadership in the region in relation to EERA Social Strategy Action Plan targets around carers and carers and workand national involvement in carers and equalities agenda
- Carers in Hertfordshire LSP contacts and Carers’ Voice worker details are attached (and £500 of Carers Grant per LSP areahas been made available by ACS to help engage carers locally)
5. Key mechanisms for the Multi-Agency Strategy from April 2009
The Hertfordshire Strategy Group is developing the following approach for making a reality of the Government’s policy intention that carers are the business of all public bodies:
- All agencies to identify their own ‘core offer’ for carers – this might consist for District/Borough Councils in matters relating to leisure concessions, local engagement, local HR policies to support staff who are carers etc. This will enable agencies to be clear and consistent in communicating and measuring the outcomes of their ‘offer’
- All agencies to signpost to the ‘partnership core offer’ – by making sure all public-facing staff have awareness training to a) identify carers b) provide them with ‘core offer’ leaflet/signposting information
- HCC will lead a bid against the £11m DH fund for training front-line staff on carers (and failing this, in partnership with Carers in Hertfordshire, provide awareness training/’core offer’ training for District/Borough Council staff in kind)
- In partnership with Carers in Hertfordshire, HCC will provide some resources (money, networks and officer time) to support annual carers’ forums linked to LSPs in each District/Borough from April 2009
- Decisions sought:
- Endorsement for the proposal that the Hertfordshire Multi-Agency Carers’ Strategy be driven through the LSPs with input/support from ACS and Carers in Hertfordshire
- Endorsement of the ‘core offer’ approach (to be negotiated individually with District/Borough Councils)
- Identification of a new/existing carers’ champion at an appropriate level to attend a one-off HCC-convened and funded event who will then work in partnership to:
- develop the collective and individual District/Borough Council ‘core offer’ for April 2009
- begin pragmatic action planning maximising co-ordination of strategies and resources
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[1] A full briefing on what the National Carers’ Strategy means for Hertfordshire is available from Tim Anfilogoff (01438 844111)