Derbyshire Carers Association (DCA) will pull out all the stops to ensure the annual Carers Week in Derbyshire is another huge success.

Carers Week traditionally aims to raise the profile of carers throughout the UK, making sure carers can access advice, information and suitable support.

As part of Carers Week, which takes place between 12th and 18th June, DCA will encourage communities and organisations to pledge to work together to reach as many carers as possible. This year there will be a carers’ afternoon tea, a carers’ coffee morning, a London Road Hospital raffle (12th June), and much more.

In Derby, Derbyshire County Cricket Club will have a ‘carers’ marquee’ on Thursday 15th June between 1pm and 4pm. (Derbyshire County Cricket Ground Marquee The 3aaa County Ground Grandstand Road Derby DE21 6DA). The invitation is open to everyone and the event is free for carers. ‘Feel Fab! Look Fabulous!’ stalls will be there to pamper carers with facials and treatments. Carers can indulge in retail therapy, browse the stalls, enjoy performers and relax with an afternoon cuppa and cake meeting DCA staff and other carers.

Derbyshire Carers Association and partners will be among the services and centres hosting more than 12,000 events and activities UK-wide during Carers Week to raise awareness of the support available to carers.

For more information and to book on an event call our Head Office on 01773 833833, our Derby office 01332 200002 or email info@derbyshirecarers.co.uk

We would like to announce that as of the 30th May 2017 the Chesterfield Carers Centre off Chatsworth Road will close.

The welfare and well-being of the carers we support has always been, and remains, our primary concern. The staff are working to ensure the closure creates as little disruption as possible.

The Chesterfield drop-in centre has served carers well over the past several years, but we can improve, and our new Head Office in Alfreton and our outreach centres are more visitor friendly and crucially mean vital resources can be focused on supporting you and the nearly 20,000 carers who have joined us.

I am pleased to announce that we will have a new resource centre available nearby at Queens Park (South Lodge, Boythorpe Avenue, Chesterfield, S40 2BF.) We have been working with Age Concern and Age UK to provide a carers’ resource at the current Age Concern offices next to Queens Park and this will provide a suitable base for our volunteers. The new Centre will be available from June. As our office is on the first floor there will be restricted disabled access, therefore in order to attend we must receive prior notice.

It is important to highlight that the closure in no way reflects the wider position of Derbyshire Carers Association as we move into an exciting phase of our development with our new centres, the recruitment of new staff and a fresh vision for the future.

If you have any further queries please contact info@derbyshirecarers.co.uk or call 01773 833833.

Young carers are children under 18 with caring responsibilities. For this group, DCA now provide a confidential service; offering support, signposting and information to young carers

DCA identify and engage with young carers and their families to assess their needs and
provide appropriate guidance, support groups and social activities. The new service includes increasing robust, suitable identification, signposting and support within all areas, especially educational networks such as schools and
colleges with an emphasis on training and employment.

There is a focus on activity within schools and colleges to ensure young carers can be identified and referred into our service for continued support and advice.

DCA will raise awareness of Young Carers including issues effecting Young Carers and their families and how to refer to appropriate services through our existing communication and marketing streams. These include Hospital and GP Liaison teams, Colleges and Universities, Statutory Services and throughout the Voluntary Sector. We will work with schools to increase identification, support and networking. DCA will incorporate Young Carers Awareness within our existing package to be delivered to Health, Statutory and Voluntary Teams including referral pathways and how to identify Young Carers.

Young Carers can be referred via telephone, secure website and email using the Referral Form

Following initial assessment Young Carers will complete a Support Plan and receive interventions appropriate to their level of needs.

These can include:

• One-to-one support
• Information and Advice
• Social Activates and peer support
• Support Groups and Specialist Group Work
• Advocacy and Mediation Support
• Signposting and Transitional Support
• Education, Training and Employment Support.
• Whole Family Activities and sibling support

Each Young Carer will have a designated Carer Support Worker for consistency and familiarity. Young Carers and their families will receive up to date information and online support through a variety of means including websites, Young Carers newsletters and managed social media.

Working together with the Derbyshire Youth Council we will introduce ‘Buddies’ within schools and offer free safeguarding training to youth council members to enable them to support Young Carers within their schools / colleges.

Young Carers Support

If you’re a young carer, health professional or would like to know more please call us on 01773 833833