This research compares the different approaches to supporting carers of people with dementia across the UK, US and beyond. Carried out by the University of Birmingham, this work explores the role and experience of carers in different national contexts, highlighting good practice examples and making policy and practice recommendations.
In 2006 Mencap produced a comprehensive review of short break provision. Now, 10 years on, they are revisiting the support available for family carers to see whether recent policy initiatives and investment have delivered the much-needed change. A total of 264 family carers responded to their survey on short breaks provision and experiences of caring. They also sent Freedom of Information requests to all 152 local authorities in England that provide social care services.
As part of the implementation of the Equal Partners in Care (EPiC) Highland Carer’s Strategy 2014-2017 it was agreed to undertake a review of respite for Adult Carers of Adults (aged 16+). Independent consultants were commissioned by NHS Highland through Connecting Carers to undertake this work. There are four groups of people – totalling an estimated 200 people - with whom conversations have taken place during the review:
The aim of the research was to explore the costs of short break services for disabled children and their families. The study also sought to understand the contracting and commissioning process, including the factors that inform decision making processes and the management of budgets.
The research was commissioned by Action for Children and carried out by the Centre for Child and Family Research, Loughborough University.
"Health and social care services should focus on the needs of the individual to promote their health and wellbeing, and in particular, to enable people to live healthier lives in their community. Key to this is that people’s experience of health and social care services and their impact is positive; that they are able to shape the care and support that they receive; and that people using services, whether health or social care, can expect a quality service regardless of where they live."
Executive Summary
Dundee Carers Centre commissioned Animate to carry out research into the current and future provision of Short Breaks/Respite for adults in Dundee, on behalf of the Dundee Partnership. The main purpose of the research was to help local service planners improve Short Break provision in line with the overall principles of the Scottish Government’s policy intentions: protecting young carers, enabling self - care and working with adult carers as partners in care, by:
• improving planning of Short Break services
Personal budgets are now a core part of social care and will be an increasingly significant part of the future of healthcare and education for many. We have moved on from their introduction in the Putting People First concordat in 2007 with an expectation that 30% of people would be using them by 2011 – to the Care Act requirement that all eligible people should hold one.
This research is from England carried out by In-Control to evidence the impact of personal budgets on those who use them and services.
The Easy Consultation Toolkit is designed to help short break providers and others with short break consultation.
Rather than duplicate existing work on the principles of consultation, this toolkit provides a set of adaptable, practical tools.
The Time to Live strand is part of the Creative Breaks programme and awards grants directly to individual carers so that they can arrange and pay for the short break that suits them best. In 2011 the Time to Live strand was piloted with 12 organisations who offer support to carers based upon geographical boundaries. In 2012 the application was extended to include organisations with a national, condition specific focus. This evaluation examines the projects running from October 2012 through to September 2013.
No one would argue that unpaid family carers should not be equal partners in care, as their care constitutes over 50% of all care provided in every local authority and NHS region of Scotland. Consistent and meaningful carer engagement must therefore be at the heart of all good health and social care policy. But a great gulf remains between good intentions and good practice. The Coalition of Carers in Scotland is pleased to o!er the carer engagement standards in this document as a bridge to help planning o"cers and commissioners of services move from good intentions to better practice.