Carers Rights Day is an annual event held on 24 November run by Carers UK to raise awareness of Carer’s rights and what support is available. The Theme for Carers Rights Day is Your Rights: today, tomorrow and in the future.

If you look after someone who needs your help due to a disability, serious illness, frailty or addiction, help is available to support you.

Dorset Council

Bournemouth Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council

Carers Rights Day Events Throughout Dorset

There are various events and activities happening across Dorset to mark Carers Rights Day for carers to get involved in. Together, we have collated this information to create a single programme of events: 

20 November 10:00 am – 1:00 pm The Vale Primary Care Network information and activities event, Marnhull

20 November 10:30 am – 12:30 pm Minstead Trust Family Carers drop-in, Poole

20 November 1.00 pm – 1.30 pm How Supporting Carers Can Help Your Business? – online session

21 November 10:00 am – 12:00 noon Parent Carer Foundation carers cafe session, Bournemouth

22 November 7.30 pm – 8.00 pm How can our Carer Friendly ID Card Help You in Your Caring Role? – online event

22 November 10:00 am – 12:00 noon Parent Carer Foundation carers cafe session, Poole

22 November 10:30 am – 3:00 pm Dorset Council information event, Weymouth

23 November 9:00 am – 12:30 pm PramaLife information event, Wimborne

23 November 10:00 am – 12:00 noon Two Harbours Healthcare drop-in information event, Weymouth

23 November 10:30 am – 3:00 pm Dorset Council information event, Bridport

23 November 10:30 am – 3:00 pm Dorset Carers Hub info event, Dorchester

23 November 1:00 pm  – 4:00 pm CRISP information event, Bournemouth

22 November 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm The Vale Primary Care Network information and activities event, Gillingham

The ‘Our Dorset’ ambition is for everyone to have the best possible health and care outcomes and live healthier, longer and fulfilling lives. That’s why our NHS organisations, councils and voluntary and community partners are working together in partnership to recognise, support and value unpaid Carers of all ages in Dorset County. 

These organisations include: 

• Bournemouth Christchurch & Poole Council including CRISP (Carers’ Resource Information and Support Programme) and Young Carers. 
• Dorset Council including partners Carer Support Dorset & Rethink 
• Dorset Healthcare University NHS Foundation Trust 
• NHS Dorset Integrated Care Board  
• Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 
• University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust (Bournemouth, Christchurch, and Poole Hospitals)  
• Dorset Advocacy, Dorset Carers Hub, Healthwatch, Help & Care, Leonardo Trust, MYTIME Young Carers and Pramacare  

Are you a Carer?
You may not think of yourself as a Carer, you may not even relate to this term at all as first and foremost you are either a parent, spouse, sibling, daughter, son or friend who offers help. A Carer provides voluntary physical, social or emotional support to sick or disabled family members or friends. Each caring role is unique and you may provide support for just a few hours a week or over 50 hours a week. Many Carers don’t see themselves as Carers and it takes them an average of two years to acknowledge their role as a Carer. You do not need to be in receipt of welfare benefits to be classed as a Carer to get help and advice.

The Theme for Carers Rights Day isYour Rights: today, tomorrow and in the future
Each year Carers UK promotes Carers Rights Day (23 November) where we’re joined by hundreds of organisations and thousands of individuals raising awareness of caring, helping to identify carers and signposting them to information, advice and support.

Whether someone has recently become a Carer, realised they have been caring for a while without support or has been caring for someone for many years, it’s important they understand their rights and are able to access the support that is available to them whenever they need it.

Carers Rights Day empowers Carers with information and support. It helps them to feel confident asking for what they need and challenge things when their rights are not being met, whether that be in the workplace or education, in accessing health or social care, when interacting with other professionals or at home. For more information about Carers Rights Day visit: Carers Rights Day – Carers UK 

Recommendations for Carers

1. Register as a carer with your GP surgery
Being registered with your GP as a carer can provide you and the person you care for with more support, you can access shared appointments and access free flu vaccinations and so on.

2. Register with your local carer support service:
By registering as a Carer with your local Carer support service you can access a whole range of support, connect with other Carers like you and get a FREE Carer Friendly Photo ID Card with access to local and national discounts.

If you are a carer and the person you are caring for lives in the Dorset Council area contact: 

Carer Support Dorset  
Tel: 0800 3688349 
Website: www.carersupportdorset.co.uk 
Email: admin@carersupportdorset.co.uk 
Register with Carer Support Dorset

If you are a carer and the person you are caring for lives in the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council area contact: 

Carers Resource Information and Support (CRISP)  
Tel: 01202 128787 
Website: www.crispweb.org 
Email: carersupport@bcpcouncil.gov.uk 
Register with CRISP

There are various events and activities happening across Dorset to mark Carers Rights Day for carers to get involved in. Together, we have collated this information to create a single programme of events: 

Dorset County Council would like to know about your experiences and what you think about day opportunities. If you have an interest in day opportunities, even if you don’t use them now, but might in the future, please share your views in this Better Days 2023 Survey.

There are a significant number of people in Dorset who have an illness or disability who need some help to plan their days or take part in activities and visiting day opportunities is a way of accessing this support. Day opportunities also provide a chance to develop new skills, maintain or increase independence or support care needs.

Dorset County Council’s Adults Social Care team would like to hear about your experiences of day opportunities both now and what you might want to see in the future. The Council is encouraging anyone who needs support to arrange daytime activities to share their views. This includes hearing from those with a learning, physical or sensory disability, mental health diagnosis, dementia or memory loss, as well as their carers or care workers who have used day opportunities. Opinions from young people who might need support into adulthood are also needed.

Day opportunities can provide life skills training, support to find a job, sporting activities, clubs and social activities, and less formal activities such as time with friends, nature walks, or visits to the local town centre. The Council would like to help people to have a well-supported and varied day, to enable people to try new things and to create an offer that moves beyond the 9 to 5 weekday.

The Council would like to revisit and build upon what people said in their research in 2021 and understand how things might have changed in their access to day opportunities post Covid as well as hearing from new voices. Help shape what you would like from day opportunities and make sure that you have your say.

The survey is open until 8 December 2023.

If you prefer, here is a link to the easy-read version of the survey.

The annual triathlon race, is taking place in Weymouth on Sunday 17 September will require some roads to close for the safety of the athletes.

Road closures are widely publicised, with many householders close to the race course receiving information through their doors about road closures.

Essential Access for Carers
Essential access for carers will be facilitated during road closures for the Ironman run and bike race. Please check the maps below and if you think your essential journey will be affected, please contact the Ironman team directly.

Please note the run and bike race road closures are on separate maps:

• view the Ironman run road closures in Weymouth

• view the Ironman bike race road closures around Weymouth and North Dorset

If you think you may encounter difficulties accessing your cared for person:

Contact the Ironman Team
Please email weymouth@ironmanroadaccess.com  or call 03330 11 66 00

If emailing, please provide:

• your care company name / state you are a private carer
• the address you are starting from
• the address you need to attend
• the time of your arrival
• the approximate duration of stay

You may be asked to adjust your planned route and timing if possible.

Reduce stress for less with this NEW discount from Touch and Co where Carers can enjoy some valuable me time with a reduced price on all full-priced treatments. Touch and Co is run by Christine Faulder who is a holistic massage and relaxation therapist with treatment rooms in Broadstone, Dorset.

What is the Discount?
Christine Faulder, founder of Touch and Co, serves the areas of Broadstone, Poole and Wimborne and is offering 10% off all treatments on presentation of your Carer Friendly ID Card. Carers can enjoy the following at a reduced rate:

• Massage
• Aromatherapy
• Hot stone massage
• Guided meditation
• Garshana
• One-to-one relaxation class, learn techniques that you can then use at home.
  

Why is Christine Supporting Carers?

Contact Details
Address:  Broadstone, Dorset
Call:  07926 075556
Email: christine@touchandco.uk

What Other Offers Are There?
There are other discounts available in the Dorset area so that you can have your hair and nails done, keep fit, have a massage and other self-care offers. You can also save money on days out, eating out, shopping, home improvements hobbies and activities, plus lots more.

Where Can I See These Offers?
Click here and then type in the area where you live, search in a designated mile radius and then select the discount category, for example, self-care, or wellbeing and complementary therapy. Further information about the discounts and offers available to Carers in Dorset is available here.

You may see our Carer Friendly Stickers in shop windows or posters, so that is another way of knowing if somewhere provides some kind of support or discount to Carers.

How can I get these discounts?
To access these discounts, you will need to show your Carer Friendly ID Card which has been funded by Dorset Council and Bournemouth Christchurch and Poole Council. If you have an old Dorset Carers Card or CRISP Carers Card, these are still valid, as long as they have not passed their expiry date. If they have expired, you will receive information on how to request your new Carer Friendly ID Card.

If you provide unpaid care to someone and you live in Bournemouth, Christchurch or Poole, register with CRISP here or call 01202 128787. If you are caring for someone living in Dorset Council area, register with Carer Support Dorset here or call 0800 368 8349. The relevant Carers support service will then contact you and provide you with details of how to access your Carer Friendly ID Card.

Can I recommend a Business or Service?
Yes, you can. We are really keen to expand our offers and discounts to Carers in Dorset and would love to get more businesses on board. If you regularly go somewhere or use a particular product or service and you would like to save some money, either tell that business about our Carer Friendly ID Card or email Rachel.Close@forwardcarers.org.uk and she will contact them on your behalf. Businesses can find out about the advantages of supporting Carers, such as free advertising here and submit their offer here.

Today, Carers Week focuses on older Carers so we would like to highlight what support we can offer to you if you care for someone who may be old and frail or living with dementia. There are organisations that have signed up to our Carer Friendly ID Card and either offer a discount or embrace and support unpaid Carers, particularly those who are either older or care for someone who is older.

Oakley Friends (in partnership with Param Life) offers a FREE 10-week course for those caring for someone living with dementia. The course covers various aspects of dementia, including professional speakers from the Alzheimer’s Society, the continence nurse, Occupational Therapy and Lifeline, topics include:

• Medical aspects
• Social services
• Legal issues and benefits
• Memory assessment

You can find out more about this course here.

In Jolly Good Company exists to help alleviate the physical and mental issues caused by loneliness and isolation. They are a dementia-friendly organisation and work with all ages to bring friendship, joy and a sense of community to older people living in Dorset. As we age it can be hard to feel connected or part of a community – In Jolly Good Company offers you the chance to have fun with and feel supported by like-minded people. They offer days out, gardening activities and so on, take a look here.

PramaLife works in Bournemouth, Christchurch, East Dorset and Poole offers a wide range of activities and services which look to directly tackle social isolation and lead to increased personal independence, and help people enjoy life as they age. Parma Life’s aim is to see Bournemouth, Christchurch, Poole and Dorset recognised by the World Health Organisation as an “Age Friendly Community”. PramaLife has developed 55+ clubs, groups and activities(including a Carers group) across Bournemouth, Poole, Christchurch and East Dorset.

Discounts
There are mobility shops and services, osteopaths and chiropractors who offer a discount to those who hold a Carer Friendly ID Card.

What Other Offers Are There?
There are other discounts available in the Dorset area so that you can have a free tea or coffee, a bite to eat or indulge in a three-course meal. You can also save money on days out, pampering sessions, shopping, home improvements hobbies and activities, plus lots more.

Where Can I See These Offers?
Click here and then type in the area where you live, search in a designated mile radius and then select the discount category, for example, hair and beauty but also search under self-care, or wellbeing and complementary therapy. Further information about the discounts and offers available to Carers in Dorset is available here.

You may see our Carer Friendly Stickers in shop windows or posters, so that is another way of knowing if somewhere provides some kind of support or discount to Carers.

How can I get these discounts?
To access these discounts, you will need to show your Carer Friendly ID Card which has been funded by Dorset Council and Bournemouth Christchurch and Poole Council. If you have an old Dorset Carers Card or CRISP Carers Card, these are still valid, as long as they have not passed their expiry date. If they have expired, you will receive information on how to request your new Carer Friendly ID Card.

If you provide unpaid care to someone and you live in Bournemouth, Christchurch or Poole, register with CRISP here or call 01202 128787. If you are caring for someone living in Dorset Council area, register with Carer Support Dorset here or call 0800 368 8349. The relevant Carers support service will then contact you and provide you with details of how to access your Carer Friendly ID Card.

Can I recommend a Business or Service?
Yes, you can.We are really keen toexpand our offers and discounts to Carers in Dorset and would love to get more businesses on board. If you regularly go somewhere or use a particular product or service and you would like to save some money, either tell that business about our Carer Friendly ID Card or email Rachel.Close@forwardcarers.org.uk and she will contact them on your behalf. Businesses can find out about the advantages of supporting Carers, such as free advertising here and submit their offer here.

The theme for Carers Week today is younger carers. A young carer is someone under the age of 18 (they may be as young as five) who looks after a family member or a friend who has a physical or mental health condition or a drugs or alcohol problem. They do practical things like cooking, cleaning, shopping and going to doctors or to hospital appointments. They also give emotional support to the person they are caring for.  Older young carers, aged 18-25, are also known as young adult carers who may juggle education and, or work as well as caring responsibilities.

A recent Carers Trust survey of young carers and young adult carers included these quotes from young carers: is always or usually hitting them and their family.

“I’d love to have kid problems. Instead, I’m saving up to try and pay our rent and to see if I can squeeze in some food at the end of it.”  

“I wouldn’t say that my caring role impacts my life; I would say that it is my life.”

“We save the government lots of money by doing the work of caring, but we don’t get the help or support we need. I just want to enjoy my childhood as well as being a young carer.”

“Caring never stops. Especially when it’s time to sleep, your brain constantly worries about how tomorrow will be, hospital appointments, money etc. It’s in overdrive.”

“It’s hard to quantify. Caring isn’t just the time I’m physically spending with the people I care for; it’s also the free time I spend worrying.”

According to The Carers Trust, being a young adult carer can affect a young person’s health, social life and self-confidence – over 45% reported a mental health problem. Many struggle to manage their education, working life and caring role which can cause pressure and stress. And 29% had dropped out of college/university because of their caring role. This is four times greater than the national average for degree courses.

It is clear from the information above, that being a young carer has a huge impact and can understandable, affect their concentration, performance and progression in education.

What support is available in Dorset?

Anyone who identifies as a young carer living in the Dorset Council area can register as a carer. This means they can access support from Carer Support Dorset and MYTIME. Carer Support Dorset has a team dedicated to helping young carers, you can register yourself as a young carer or make a referral here or call them on 0800 368 8349 or email admin@carersupportdorset.co.uk

MYTIME, is a Dorset based charity that supports registered and unregistered young carers, MYTIME can offer:

• opportunities to take part in positive activities and a break from caring during school holidays with other young carers
• access to weekly virtual youth groups
• Employability Programme providing support with access to further education and work

Contact Young Carers Service

Email: earlyhelphub@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk
Tel: 01305 224379

What support is available in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole?

Anyone who identifies as a young carer living in the BCP Council area can receive the following support:

BCP Council works with children and young people (aged 5 to 18) who are identified as Young Carers to achieve the following outcomes:

• Young Carers are assessed to help them get the support they need when they need it
• children and young people who are young carers have support to develop their aspirations, resilience and self-esteem
• children and young people who are young carers get peer support through age-appropriate developmental opportunities
• the needs of young carers and their families are listened to and heard and families are supported to develop their family/friends/community networks to meet those needs and to access other services where required
• children and young people who are young carers reach their full potential and achieve a positive transition to adulthood regardless of family circumstances

Further information is available from the BCP Council’s website here.

Contact

External requests for Young Carers support and assessment should be made via the Children’s Services First Response Hub on 01202 123334 or childrensfirstresponse@bcpcouncil.gov.uk

Requests can be made by young people, families or professionals.

BCP Council Officer requests for Young Carer support and assessment (i.e. from Social Workers or Early Help Workers) are to be sent to the BCP Council Young Carers email youngcarers@bcpcouncil.gov.uk

There is also Sibs Youth Club which is open to sibling carers aged 5 and a half to 17. Children and young people need to register with Sibs before they can attend.

Below is a list of charities who support Young Carers across the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole region:

MyTime Charity – support Young Carers aged 5 to 18 years including residential opportunities and workshops.

The Honeypot Children’s Charity – support Young Carers aged 5 to 12 years through respite breaks and outreach opportunities.

The Leonardo Trust – help young and adult carers. They offer counselling support to Young Carers and also provide support for Young Carer’s hobbies and interests.

SoundStorm provide support for Young Carers with an interest in music. Young Carers can hire musical instruments. Funding may also be available for musical instruments and music lessons.

An incredible 19 million people in the UK have provided unpaid care – but haven’t identified as a carer

A recent report Carers UK – ‘I Care,: Carers Week Report on Unpaid Carer Identification‘ has shown that most Carers simply see themselves as a parent, partner or friend.

• 29% of people who did identify or call themselves a carer took up to 1 year to do so, with another 29% taking over a year. This suggests it may take people some time to understand what support they may be entitled to
  
• The most common way in which people realised they were a carer was through the help of a family member or friend (29%). 22% said that a healthcare professional identified them as a carer. 11% said that a carer organisation or charity identified them as a carer.

Recognising yourself as a Carer (even if you don’t like this label) is the first step to seeking support. Do you carry out any of the following activities for someone who relies on you because of illness, frailty, disability, a mental health problem or an addiction:

• Pick up food/ shopping/ medication for someone
• Make regular check-in calls
• Support someone with physical or practical needs
• Help with their housework or chores
• Take someone to / or make appointments
• Support someone with their bills or correspondence
• Keep someone company or watch over them
• Provide emotional support.

If you do any of the above, it’s important to find your local Carer Support Service so that you can access all of the necessary support. If you live in Bournemouth, Christchurch or Poole, register with CRISP here or call 01202 128787. If you are caring for someone living in Dorset Council area, register with Carer Support Dorset here or call 0800 368 8349.

Carer Identification
Dorset Council and BCP Council want to make life better for unpaid Carers and have funded the Carer Friendly ID card, so that carers can receive a FREE card to support them in their caring role. Our verified Carer Friendly ID Card, visibly shows that you are a carer when you are out and about so that confidential paperwork does not need to be carried around with you. It also saves having to explain that you are a carer and potentially making the person that you care for feel uncomfortable.

In Case of an Emergency
Our card is printed with your ICE (in case of emergency details) on the back so in the event of something preventing you from carrying out your caring role, the person who steps in will know exactly what to do. That’s peace of mind for you and the person you care for. 

Access to Discounts
Your card can also be used to gain access to benefits or discounts both online and in person. You can use your card to save money on days out, eating out, pampering sessions, shopping, home improvements hobbies and activities, plus lots more. Further information is available here.

How do I get a Carer Friendly ID Card?
The official Carer Friendly ID Card is provided by Forward Carers and is available for FREE to unpaid Carers who newly register with either CRISP (BCP Council residents) or Carer Support Dorset, (for Dorset Council residents). The card is also available for existing registered Carers who need to renew an expired card. Your old card (if in date) is still valid and can still be used.

It is important that Carers are recognised and supported in health settings such as GP surgeries and hospitals.  

How can my GP help me with my caring responsibilities?  

To get the support you need in your caring role, a great place to start is by informing your GP that you care for somebody. Once you inform your GP that you are a Carer, they can record this on your medical records. Many GP surgeries have a form on their website to help you register as a Carer, however not all do. Carers UK has developed some useful templates to help you register as a Carer with your GP which you can find here. 

If your GP knows that you are a Carer, they should be able to offer you more support, information and advice. 

Once you inform your GP practice that you are a Carer, please feel free to ask them what support/services are available to you. This may include:  

• Understanding some of your health needs and the potential impact your caring role has on your health. 
• Find out if your GP practice facilitate a Carer Support Group within the practice. 
• Arrange repeat prescriptions to be delivered to your local pharmacy or home address to save you from picking them up. 
• Being recognised as a ‘partner in care’ and having your expertise valued.  *Consent may be required for health professionals to share information with you about the person you care for. 
• Arrange double appointments for both you and the person you care for at the same time to avoid visiting the surgery twice. 
• Provide information on medical conditions/treatments for the person you care for to help you feel more confident in your caring role. 
• Inform you of services provided by the NHS such as continence services and patient transport to hospital appointments/ Carer coordinator service. 
• Arrange home visits to you or the person you care for if your caring responsibilities make it difficult to attend appointments at the surgery. 
• Provide supporting letters and information to enable you and the person you care for to access benefits such as Attendance Allowance or a blue badge scheme. 

Your health is Important 

Life can be very busy juggling daily tasks, especially if you have caring responsibilities, but it’s important not to neglect your own health needs. Attending appointments, check-ups and screenings is important for yourself as well as your loved ones. It can be easy to forget about your own health, even if you are feeling unwell, however seeing your GP can help prevent any further health issues and support you in recovering much quicker.  

If it has been a while since you have visited your GP, give them a call and arrange a health check. This could include checking your blood pressure, weight or having a conversation about you and your health.  

Free Flu Jabs  

The seasonal flu vaccine is free for Carers or anybody receiving Carers Allowance and is the best way to protect yourself and the person you care for from the flu.  

The thought of becoming unwell can be a huge burden if you have caring responsibilities, therefore receiving your flu jab can put your mind at ease.  

Talk to your GP to find out more or visit the NHS website.  

GP Practices running Carer Support Groups

Some GP practices offer support groups just for Carers, ask your surgery what they offer for Carers, if they don’t have something in place, this may be just the prompt that they need.

Support from hospitals

If the person that you provide care for is admitted to hospital, you could take this opportunity for some respite or you may feel like you would like to be more involved. You know the person that you care for best, their likes and dislikes, their communication needs and so on, so you may want to continue supporting with their care during their stay in hospital.

Dorset hospitals (Dorset County Hospital, Dorset HealthCare University, University Hospitals Dorset want to welcome, involve and support you, you can ask the carers’ leads below about the Carer Passport.

Carers Week is an annual campaign that raises awareness and recognition for the vital role of unpaid carers across the United Kingdom. This year Carers Week is running from Monday 5th – Sunday 11th June and aims to highlight the challenges faced by carers and promote support services available to them. 

The Carer Friendly ID Card and Discount Scheme is an initiative designed to provide recognition and support to unpaid carers and does so by offering the following; 

1. Identification: The Carer Friendly ID Card serves as official identification for carers. It helps carers assert their status and access the support they need. Carrying this card can make it easier to prove their caring responsibilities, especially when interacting with various service providers. 

2. Recognition: The ID card and discount scheme provide recognition for the valuable work carers do. It acknowledges their contributions and helps raise awareness about the challenges they face on a daily basis. This recognition can contribute to reducing the stigma and isolation often experienced by carers. 

3. Access to discounts: The discount scheme associated with the ID card provides carers with exclusive discounts and offers from participating businesses and organizations. These discounts can be in various areas, such as retail, leisure activities, travel, or health and well-being services. By offering these discounts, local businesses and service providers demonstrate their support and appreciation for carers. 

4. Affordability: Caring for someone can place financial strain on carers, as they often have additional expenses related to their caring responsibilities. The discount scheme can help alleviate some of this burden by providing cost savings on everyday purchases or leisure activities. This can make a significant difference in improving carers’ quality of life. 

5. Networking and support: The Carer Friendly ID Card may also provide opportunities for carers to connect with each other, facilitating the creation of support networks. It can be a platform for sharing experiences, information, and advice. Connecting with fellow carers can help combat isolation and provide emotional support, fostering a sense of belonging and understanding. 

It’s important to note that specific benefits and participating businesses in the Carer Friendly ID Card and Discount Scheme may vary depending on the region. For detailed information about the scheme’s availability, benefits, and participating organisations in Dorset, please visit dorsetcarerscard.org.uk. 

Come and meet the Carer Friendly ID Card team during the week where will be attending the following events; 

Date	Time	Location	Further Information
Wednesday 7 June	11:00 – 15:00	Dorset Museum Victorian Hall	https://ourdorset.org.uk/event/caring-for-carers-info-event-mid-dorset/
Thursday 8 June	10:00 – 14:00	The Vitality Stadium	B2bexpos.co.uk/tickets
Friday 9 June	12:00 – 15:00	The Labour Club in Hamworthy	https://ourdorset.org.uk/event/the-adam-practice-carers-information-event/

For more information on other activities and events taking this please click here.