Shetland Carers can offer:

*Information and advice

*A chat over a cuppa about any problems you are experiencing in your caring role

*Signposting to relevant support agencies

*Help with Emergency Planning

*Consideration of lifting and handling training for carers

*Advice on Short break grants and Respitality breaks for carers

We can add your name to our database so you will get information regarding what's on, changes in legislation that may affect carers, and copies of our quarterly newsletter.

These are some of the things that people may have mentioned to you or you may be thinking about as a carer:

Adult Carer Support Plan - this helps you to think about what support you might need to help you to continue your caring role. Here is the link to the full leaflet.

Emergency Planning - this helps you to think about a document to record all the support you carry out for the person you care for, so that this could continue if you were unable to to carry out your caring role at short notice. Here is the link to the full leaflet. We also have cards that you can put in your purse to let anyone know that you are a carer.

Caring for children - GIRFEC - Getting it right for every child - this framework aims to improve outcomes for all children and young people. It puts the wellbeing of children and young people at the centre. For more information about the framework and assessment process please use this link to take you to the SIC GIRFEC page.

Registering with your doctor as a carer - it is really important to register with your GP so they are aware that you are a carer, this should ensure that you are invited to things such as the flu vaccination.

Taking a break - this is really important so that you can continue your caring role. There is a leaflet about short breaks and we also have a page to show what short breaks Shetland Carers can offer you.

Benefits and financial support - we would usually direct you to Citizen's Advice Bureau who could help you to maximise your income.

Support when caring role comes to an end - this can be a very difficult time and at Shetland Carers we have a policy to support carers for up to 2 years following the end of their caring role.

Opportunity for carers to influence strategy/policy - we have workers and volunteers who sit on various groups to put forward the voice of carers. The Carers Forum provides carers with a place where carers can raise any concerns about the support that they receive in the community, so that their concerns can be relayed to those who are responsible for the planning and delivery of services. It is an ideal opportunity for carers from different backgrounds to meet, to discuss issues that affect all carers. If this is something that you are interested in then why not initially come along to our Carers Forum and find out how you can feed into this process.

Check our meetings and events page to find out when the next one is.