invitation to meeting about carer benefits by Social Security Scotland and the recent changes to these benefits

Social Security Scotland: Carer Benefits

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Changes to Carer Benefits in Scotland

Join to learn about carer benefits, eligibility criteria, and recent changes that may impact you.

Are you aware that the Scottish Government has introduced some changes to carer benefits with the aim of ensuring better support for those eligible?

We would like to invite you to a meeting with Social Security Scotland, the Executive Agency of the Scottish Government responsible for managing the benefits devolved to Scotland.

We will welcome Claire Lister, Partnership and Events Manager from Social Security Scotland,Β on Tuesday 9 June from 10 am to 12 noon. As part of Carers Week, the meeting will take place in the Carers Centre, 1a Bank Street, however, if you cannot attend in person, you are welcome to join via Zoom.

Join us to learnΒ more about these recent changes, the benefits Social Security Scotland deliver as well as the eligibility criteria. There will be an opportunity to ask your questions.

Please register by 1 pm on Friday 5 June; however,Β if you require a translator, please let us know at least 2 weeks in advance.

Details:
📅 Tuesday 9 June 2026
⏰ From 10 am to 12 noon
📍 In person at the Falkirk and Clackmannanshire Carers Centre or on Zoom
save the date 8-14 June this year's carers week with the theme building carer friendly communities

Carers Week 2026 – Save the date

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Carers Week 2026 is approaching fast!

Will you be joining us?

Carers Week is a yearly campaign that aims:

  • to raise awareness about caring and who unpaid carers are
  • to raise awareness of and recognise the challenges unpaid carers face
  • to acknowledge the immense contributions unpaid carers make to our society
  • and to celebrate the vital role unpaid carers play in our communities

The theme for Carers Week 2026, “Building Carer Friendly Communities”, highlights what an important role communities play in ensuring carers get the opportunities and support they need.

Why do we need carer friendly communities?

Unpaid carers often get overlooked, undervalued or are unsupported. Yet, they are the backbone of our communities facing challenges affecting many aspects of their life including but not limited to their physical or mental health, education, relationships, careers, to name a few. Carer friendly communities have the power to turn understanding into action and make support a daily constant in carers’ lives. Even the smallest contribution can make a great impact on carers’ lives.Β 

Carer friendly communitiesΒ 

  • recognise who unpaid carers are and the vital role they have in our society
  • understand the impact of caring and what it entails
  • take action to identify and support carers in different ways
  • empower carers to lead fulfilling lives

As a result, unpaid carers can have fairer support and opportunities, living a better life.Β 

At Falkirk and Clackmannanshire Carers Centre we believe that carers deserve to be recognised for the difficulties they face, respected for their efforts, informed about their rights and options, and supported to continue caring safely. Throughout the week, we will be raising awareness and encouraging communities to take practical and meaningful steps to create positive change.

We will also be celebrating carers with our Carers Week Programme, which will be released very soon. Watch this space!Β 

invitation to help with transitions drop in cafe taking place in May

June Drop-in Cafe: Help with Transitions

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Parents and unpaid carers of young people with additional support needs, pop in for a chat!

Join us if the child you care for is approaching or going through transitions, aged between 14 and 25, and lives in the Falkirk area.

Fiona Maguire (formerly known as Douglas), Transitions Coordinator for Falkirk Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP), is hosting monthly ‘Drop-in CafΓ©s’ in the Carers Centre (1a Bank Street, Falkirk, FK1 1NB). You can drop in between 10 am and 1 pm on the dates below (apart from June – please note the time change below) with questions or for a chat about transitions. These sessions are open to unpaid carers registered with the Carers Centre.Β 

✅ Ask questions about support available
✅ Learn how young people are supported in their transitions beyond school

Details:

📅 Thursday 7 May
🕒 From 9.30 am to 12.30 pm
📍 Carers Centre, 1A Bank Street, Falkirk, FK1 1NB
❗We would appreciate if you could book your place here so that we can anticipate numbers, or just feel free to drop in on the day.Β 

If you have any questions or you are not registered with the Carers Centre, but would like to attend, please email daynafaulds@centralcarers.co.uk.

The next sessions will take place on Thursdays between 10 and 1pm on the following dates:

  • 16 July
  • 6 August
  • 17 September
  • 15 October
  • 12 November
  • 10 December
care with confidence programme header showing an older gentleman and woman with their daughter and giving information about the sessions (Tuesdays from 10.30 am for Falkirk and Clackmannanshire carers)

Care with Confidence Programme – May to June

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Our new programme has now been released!

Come along to learn about topics that can help you with your caring role.Β 

Tuesday 26 May 2026: Dementia – Sundowning & Shadowing

You may notice that the person you care for becomes more confused and/or agitated in the late afternoon and evening. This is known as β€œSundowning”. Learn about the steps you can take to help reduce sundowning, for their benefit as well as your own. Shadowing is a form of behaviour in which a person with dementia follows their caregiver around. Find out how to manage this behaviour by gaining an understanding of why this occurs.

Tuesday 02 June 2026: Visit to Falkirk Library

This session will take place at the Falkirk Library at Hope Street in Falkirk, FK1 5AU, so it will not be possible to attend on Zoom. We will meet at the library, and the Senior Library Assistant, Evelyn, will give us a tour and a brief chat about the library services. To name but a few, you can not only borrow books from the library but also musical instruments, tablets, and jigsaw puzzles. You have access to Wi-Fi and PCs. This is where you can pick up your hearing aid batteries. Come along to the library to find out more about all the services available.

Tuesday 09 June 2026: Carers Week

Watch out for our Newsletter and Social Media posts about Carers Week Activities.

You can download the latest CwC programme leaflet from here and the Dementia one from here.

To book a place or for further information on any of the above, please contact your Training Co-ordinator:

👩Β  Donna Mulder – Working hours:Β 21 hours per week (Monday – Wednesday)
📱Β  07824 381280
📧Β  donnamulder@centralcarers.co.uk

If you are aΒ carer in Clackmannanshire, you are welcome to join these Falkirk sessions either over Zoom or, if you’d like to attend in person, travel may be provided. Please reach out to Donna for more information.Β 

photo of Sunday National article about Bami, a Falkirk carer who is also a Carer Representative

Falkirk Carer featuring in Sunday National

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How a carers centre changed my life forever

A mum’s journey from struggle to supportβ€”and why carers must be recognised

Bamidele Bamgbopa shares her powerful personal story of caring for her son, from the early challenges of navigating health systems to finding vital support after moving to Scotland. In this honest and moving piece, she reflects on the realities many carers faceβ€”including isolation, stigma, and lack of awarenessβ€”and how connecting with the Falkirk & Clackmannanshire Carers Centre became a turning point for her.

👉 Read the full story here to discover how support, understanding, and recognition can transform a carer’s journey. The PDF can be zoomed in for easier reading.Β 

invitation to the voice on Monday 25 May

May Falkirk Carers’ Voice

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Falkirk Carers, you’re invited!

Learn about the Pharmacy First service and SFAD’s groups and activities that could help you in your caring role.

We will welcome Hollie Houghton from NHS Forth Valley, who will explain the Pharmacy First service and how this is beneficial to you. Rachael Scott from Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol and Drugs (SFAD) will also be joining us to talk about their groups and activities that could help you in your caring role.Β 

Meeting details:
📅 Monday 25 May 2026
⏰Β From 10 am to 12 noon
📍 At the Carers Centre in Falkirk or via Zoom

Register for the event here by 1pm on Thursday 21 May: https://form.jotform.com/CentralCarers/falkirk-carers-voice
Or get in touch with Sharlene Ramage, our Carer Participation Development Worker: sharleneramage@centralcarers.co.uk

⁉️ Did you know that you can read the previous meeting minutes on our website? Go to https://centralcarers.org/information/publications/

invitation to information session for those working in the Falkirk district

Information Session for Professionals

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Falkirk Professionals, you’re invited!

Come along to network and learn about what we do and how you can help unpaid carers!

If you know any other professionals who work with carers, please let them know about this opportunity. This session will give professionals an overview of what we do at the Carers Centre and how we can work together to support the carers they work with.

✅ Learn how we support unpaid carers
✅ Meet our teams and learn what they all do
✅ Connect with other professionals
✅ Gain practical insights into the Carers (Scotland) Act 2016, Adult Carer Support Plans and Young Carer Statements, the hospital discharge process involving the carer, and more!
Let’s work together to support carers in our community!

📅 Thursday 28 May
⏰Β From 10.30 am to 12.30 pm
📍 Carers Centre, 1a Bank Street or via Zoom

Register for the event here!Β 

⁉️ Β Alternatively, if you can’t make this one and you’d like to be informed about upcoming sessions via emails, please register your interest here.

invitation to consultation about the new Integrated Discharge Service

Consultation: New Integrated Discharge Service

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A new Integrated Discharge Service is being developed at Forth Valley Royal Hospital, led by Falkirk HSCP.Β 

Join us to share your views to help shape this new service.Β 

Claire Chapman, Homefirst Manager, and Daniel Stoddart, Care at Home and Review Lead, who both work for the Falkirk Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP), will be joining us.

Claire and Daniel would value your views and experiences on how people are supported to leave the hospital and return home. The team aims to make discharge clearer, better coordinated, and more supportive for carers.

A key aim is to involve carers earlier, have clearer conversations about what support is realistic, ensure carers feel listened to, and make sure carers know who to contact whilst they are using these services.

The Care at Home service is also being redesigned. Daniel will be seeking your views on the possible changes to the service.

This is a great opportunity to be involved in helping shape these new services. Please join us to share your views.

Please register by 1 pm on Tuesday 26 May; however,Β if you require a translator, please let us know at least 2 weeks in advance.

Details:
📅 Thursday 28 May 2026
⏰ From 1 pm to 3 pm
📍 In person at the Falkirk and Clackmannanshire Carers Centre or on Zoom
invitation to presentation about ASN and communication needs

ASN – Sensory and Communication Needs Overview

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Join us for an engaging session!

Gain practical insights into the sensory and communication needs of children with ASN.

We will welcome Alice Grant from Falkirk Council’s Children’s Services. Although Alice specialises in supporting children with additional support needs, the insights she’ll share are relevant and useful for people of all ages, making this session ideal for any carer.

What to Expect

Alice will provide a practical, accessible overview of the following:

  • sensory needs
  • distressed behaviours
  • regulation & stimming
  • model of child engagement

Details:

🙋For unpaid parent carers in the Falkirk district and Clackmannanshire
📅 Wednesday 27 May
⏰ From 12.30 pm to 2.30 pm
📍 Carers Centre, 1a Bank Street or Zoom
📝 Register here by 6 pm on Monday 25 May
For more information or to enquire about future sessions, please email 📧 daynafaulds@centralcarers.co.uk
invitation to a discussion about vaccines

Discussion about vaccines

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Join this informative session about vaccines!

Don’t forget to bring your questions along!

We will welcome Laura Wilson, the head of the seasonal vaccines strategy for the Scottish Government, who will talk about the Flu, COVID-19 and RSV vaccines and answer any questions you may have about these.

Please register by 1 pm on Monday 18 May; however,Β if you require a translator, please let us know at least 2 weeks in advance.

Details:
📅 Thursday 21 May 2026
⏰ From 1.30 pm to 3.30 pm
📍 In person at the Falkirk and Clackmannanshire Carers Centre or on Zoom