Carers
Carers are people who, without payment, provide help and support to
a family member or a friend who may not be able to manage without this help because of frailty, illness
or disability. Carers can be adults caring for other adults, parents caring for ill or disabled children
or young people who care for another family member.
One of the Department’s key objectives is to support people to live independent lives safely in the community and carers enable many thousands of vulnerable people to do this. It is therefore vital that carers are supported in their caring role so they can continue to care for as long as they wish and are able to do so.
One of the Department’s key objectives is to support people to live independent lives safely in the community and carers enable many thousands of vulnerable people to do this. It is therefore vital that carers are supported in their caring role so they can continue to care for as long as they wish and are able to do so.
In recognition of this, the Department published a strategy for carers
in January 2006. “Caring for Carers” was the product of an extensive period of consultation with
carers and their representative organisations. The strategy deals with a range of issues including
health and personal social services, employment, training, education, information and support services.
It is an ongoing piece of work designed to recognise, value and support the role of carers.
As well as practical guidance for the Health and Social Care staff the
Department has produced an A - Z guide for carers in Northern Ireland. This provides advice on
who and where to contact for information, support and services relevant to carers. This and other
guidance can be found on this website.
The Legislation places a responsibility on Health and Social Care Trusts
to inform carers of their right to an assessment of their needs and gives Trusts the power to supply
services directly to carers to help them in their caring role. Each Trust in Northern Ireland
has a nominated carers’ coordinator whose contact details are also available on this website.
Carers Guidance
- Circular HSS (ECCU) 3/2010 - Carers & Discharge
Guidance (PDF 347 KB)
Guidance reminding Trusts of their obligations with respect to services for carers, and drawing together all of the published recommendations and requirements for delivery of the discharge process. The guidance has been developed in 3 parts; and the documents are attached to this circular. (Published September 2010)
- A Guide for Carers - See Appendix 1
- A Practical Guide for Staff - See Appendix 2
- A Guide for Managers and Policy Makers- See Appendix 3
- Leaflet version - A Carer’s Guide
(PPT 238 KB)
A specially formatted version of the Carer's Guide, allowing it to be printed in booklet form.
See instructions for printing and collating Carer's Guide leaflet (PDF 12 KB)
- Guidance for Certifiers - Carer's Credit Regulations
(PDF 32 KB)
A Care Certificate is required when an application is made for Carer’s Credit but the person(s) being cared for is not in receipt of one of the qualifying benefits. These are the middle or highest rate of the care component of Disability Living Allowance or any rate of Attendance Allowance or Constant Attendance Allowance. (Published April 2010)
- REVISED A-Z for Carers (PDF 1.8
MB)
This is a guide for informal carers in Northern Ireland. It provides advice on who and where to contact for information, support and services relevant to carers (Revised version published March 2010)
- Circular HSS (ECCU) 2/2009 - Regional Carer's
Support and Needs Assessment Tool (PDF 990 KB)
Circular supporting the roll out of the Regional Carer’s Support and Needs Assessment Tool as the regional assessment tool to be used for assessing the needs of carers, in all adult POCs, across Northern Ireland.(Published December 2009)
- Review of the support provision for carers (PDF
474 KB)
This report contains the findings of the review of support provision for carers undertaken by the Department for Social Development and the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety. The purpose of the review was to examine the support for carers following on from the review of the National Carers’ Strategy in Britain. (Published September 2009)
- NISAT Carer's Assessment Component - Report of
NHSCT Pilot (PDF 767 KB)
The Northern HSC Trust undertook an extensive pilot to test the applicability of the carer's assessment component of the Northern Ireland Single Assessment Tool (NISAT) across all programmes of care. (Completed April 2009)
- Circular HSS (ECCU) 3/2008 Implementation of Carers
Strategy.(PDF 104 KB)
Second in series of circulars to provide practical advice on how to implement the recommendations emanating from "Caring for Carers" (Published November 2008)
UPDATE
to Appendix A (September 2010) - Updated list of Board members (PDF
10 KB)
- HSS (ECCU) 4-2006 Carers Circular (PDF 329 KB)
Circular HSS (ECCU) 4/2006 Implementation of the Carers Strategy (Published November 2006)
- Caring for Carers - (PDF 440 KB)
A Strategy for Carers, Recognising, Valuing and Supporting the Caring Role (Published January 2006)
- Carers Strategy Press Release (PDF 24 KB)
Press Release announcing the publication of the Carer's Strategy
- Information and Assessment Guidance (PDF 213 KB)
Carers and Direct Payments Act - Carers Information and Assessment Guidance for Practitioners (Published April 2005)
- Valuing Carers (PDF 87 KB)
Proposals for a Strategy for Carers in Northern Ireland (Published April 2002)
HSC Trust Carer Co-ordinators
- Carer Co-ordinators (PDF 94 KB)
Contact Details for Health & Social Care Trust Carer Co-ordinators (Updated November 2011)
