New Deal for Carers: a step in the right direction?
The joint response from The Princess Royal Trust for Carers and Crossroads Caring for Carers to the New Deal for Carers.
The Princess Royal Trust for Carers and Crossroads Caring for Carers – the two leading organisations providing services for carers - welcome the ambition the government has demonstrated in the New Deal for Carers announced today. Care Minister, Ivan Lewis MP has stated that the strategy is "based on conversations with thousands of people in the real world" and we would agree with this.
We should not underestimate the scale of the challenge in making these ambitions a reality for ordinary carers. The strategy is the beginning of the challenge, not the end of the process and working collaboratively across government and across statutory and voluntary organisations will be critical to effective implementation. We remain concerned that funding is a critical issue at a local level with many areas experiencing cuts in provision. There is an increasing risk that councils and health trusts think that they can rely on central government to provide carers’ services. The Minister himself acknowledged that there is currently a "postcode lottery".
All of us will either require care or take on caring roles at some point in our lives. We call on the government to ensure that services not only continue to support the most vulnerable, but also are developed to help families and communities establish new, fairer caring partnerships.
Carers will be bitterly disappointed that government is not taking immediate action to rectify the low level of Carers Allowance or the difficulties in claiming it. The strategy recognises that Carers Allowance does not work and needs long term reform. Carers will expect the process of reform to begin swiftly. And they need help now, especially with rising food, heating and transport costs. We would like to see every JobCentre Plus working with local carers' services to enable carers to stay in work.
Carers need regular breaks to continue to care, as well as back up when crises stop them from caring. We welcome the commitment of £150m over two years to provide more breaks and the recognition that most support is provided by the third sector.
All carers deserve to be recognised and valued as partners in care. Too many are ignored or take for granted, so we welcome the commitments to ensure that GPs and other health professionals recognise and support carers.
The new national helpline has the potential to be a useful resource for carers. But there is a danger that councils see this as a cheap alternative to the local services that are vital to reach hidden carers.
Society is often negative about young people, but when it comes to children who provide care for their families, they are largely ignored and the vast majority get no help. The strategy aims to strike a balance between reducing the numbers of families relying on children and young people for care, and recognising that there will always be young carers who deserve specialist support.
Most parents would be shocked to hear that if they get a long term illness they might be forced to rely on their children for care, rather than adult professionals – it shouldn't happen.
This is the first major, detailed government policy response to young carers backed up by new resources. But there is a long way to go, with good young carers’ services currently facing cuts, even as this very positive strategy is being launched.
By Carole Cochrane, Acting Chief Executive at The Princess Royal Trust for Carers and Anne Roberts, Chief Executive at Crossroads Caring for Carers
Further information
Visit the Department of Health website to find out more about the New Deal for Carers and download the strategy
Those working with carers may want to visit our site for professionals for more information on the strategy
Press information
For further press information, spokespeople or interviews with carers please contact Sarah Ross at The Princess Royal Trust for Carers on 0208 498 7920 or Annalise Cooke at Crossroads Caring for Carers on 0207 922 7743.