Falkirk Carers Strategy Consultations

Falkirk Health and Social Care Partnership are currently consulting for a new Carers Strategy โ€“ a list of things we know are important to carers and the ways we can try to make things better.

There are two consultations open – one for adult carers, and one for young carers and young adult carers. The surveys will close Friday 23 December 2022.

You can complete the adult carers strategy consultation and find out more by clicking here.

To complete the young carer & young adult carer strategy consultation, click here.

If you have any further questions or would prefer a paper copy, please contact: carers@falkirk.gov.uk.

Join the Falkirk Integration Joint Board (IJB)!

DEADLINE FOR NOMINATIONS: Friday 26th August

Recruitment of the Carer Representative for the Integration Joint Board

Background

The Integration Joint Board (IJB) for the Falkirk Health and Social Care Partnership is made up of representatives from NHS Forth Valley, Third Sector representatives, service users and carers. It has responsibility for the planning, resourcing, and the operational oversight of a wide range of local health and social care services.

Why we need you

Over the last two years carer representatives or their substitutes have contributed to the workings of both the Integration Joint Board & the Strategic Planning Group.

In line with the governance arrangements of the Board, the partnership seek nominations for selection of a carer representative for the next three-year term of office.

Benefits

  • Being the voice of local carers
  • Helping shape local services for carers and those they care for
  • Fantastic opportunities for personal development

The role requires the representative to:

  • Attend 4 IJB meetings & associated meetings (development days) per year
  • Update and feedback to the Falkirk Carersโ€™ Voices meetings
  • Support consultations with local carers

The Carers Centre will support you in your role as the IJB carer representative, and expenses incurred in the role will be covered.

How to apply

Tell us in 200 hundred words on why you think you should be the Integration Joint Board representative.

Want to know more?

If you wish to discuss this, please contact Susan Docherty, Carer Involvement & Engagement Lead at the Carers Centre, Falkirk.

Email: susandocherty@centralcarers.co.uk

Telephone: 07818 592990/01324 611510

Come and work with us!

The Carers Centre is a growing and forward-thinking organisation with ambition to support an increasing number of children, young people and adults who provide unpaid care for a family member or friend due to disability, illness, addiction, or frailty.

We are currently looking to fill the roles of:

        • Carer Support Worker x2 (28 hours)
        • Office Administrator (25 hours)

Applications for these posts close on Friday 20 May 2022.

You can find out more about the roles at our VACANCIES page! Or if you’d like to apply, click below!

Website feedback survey

We know that our website is one of the main ways that you interact with us, and we’re now looking for some feedback on it – what you like, what you don’t like, what’s missing, and more.

It should only take a few minutes to complete the survey, and your feedback really is vital to help us make sure that our website is the best resource it can be!

You can complete the survey using this link: form.jotform.com/CentralCarers/website-feedback-survey-2022.

 


Health & Social Care Training

Do you want to represent your community and inform how health and social care is delivered in Falkirk?

We are looking for carers and people who use health and social care services to become representatives and join a range of groups to help ensure that lived experience is central to planning and decision making.

Falkirk Health and Social Care Partnership have teamed up with key organisations to deliver free training so you have everything you need to take part, feel supported and share your ideas, and together we can design services that reflect your needs.

What can I expect from the training?

  1. Once training is completed, individuals will feel empowered.
  2. The training will be easily digestible and relevant to the individualโ€™s area.
  3. The training will develop on new and existing skills of the individual.
  4. Individuals will have the ability to represent their own views while remaining objective and able to speak on other peopleโ€™s behalf.
  5. Individuals will improve their conversation/decision-making skills.
  6. Those who participate will be involved in follow-up discussion to help frame future training sessions.
  7. Individuals will feel motivated to carry on engagement and make a positive difference in their area.

Who is this training suitable for?

  • People with lived experience of health and social care.
  • People with an interest in health and social care.
  • People who want to join a supportive community.
  • People who are willing to share their ideas and experience to create positive change.
  • People who are willing to take on an advocacy role and represent their wider community.
  • People who want to make a difference to improve health and social care in their communities.

When will the training be delivered?

  • Wednesday 27 April, 10.30am – 1pm
  • Wednesday 4 May, 10.30am – 1pm
  • Wednesday 11 May, 10.30am – 1pm

Each session will include a 15-minute break. You will also have opportunities to ask questions and to get involved in discussions.

How do I sign up?

Registration is now open so click the link here to book your space.

What is the training like?

When we delivered this training for carer representatives in March 2021, they found the training informative and enjoyable. They told us:

  • โ€œReally interesting course.โ€
  • โ€œGood to hear about how things work in social work, it seems complex.โ€
  • โ€œI hadnโ€™t seen myself as a carer but now see myself as an advocate to other carers.โ€
  • โ€œCourse has good content and timings were good.โ€
  • โ€œI learned a lot โ€“ found the negotiation part really interesting.โ€
  • โ€œGave me confidence to speak out.โ€

Do I have to become a representative if I sign up to the training?

There is no commitment to join as a carer or service user representative when you sign up for the training sessions. This training is your opportunity to learn how you can make a meaningful contribution to the Falkirk Health and Social Care Partnership, as well as meet other people just like you.

If you decide to become a representative, then ongoing support will be provided so you can get the most out of your experience.

Do I need any special skills or qualifications?

You donโ€™t need any prior qualifications or skills. We will cover everything you need to know in the training.

I want to get involved. How do I sign up again?

Complete the registration form by clicking the link here. We know you have opinions about health and social care, so this is your opportunity to shape how we deliver our services. Further information will be provided in due course.

If you have any questions, email HSCPComms@falkirk.gov.uk.

We hope to see you at the training.

Development Worker – Young Adults

The Carers Centre is a growing and forward-thinking organisation with ambition to support an increasing number of children, young people and adults who provide unpaid care for a family member or friend due to disability, illness, addiction, or frailty.

We are currently looking to fill the role of:

    • Development Worker – Young Adults (35 hours)

Applications close on Monday 25 April 2022.

You can find out more about the roles and how to apply at our VACANCIES page!

 

 

We’re Hiring!

The Carers Centre is a growing and forward-thinking organisation with ambition to support an increasing number of children, young people and adults who provide unpaid care for a family member or friend due to disability, illness, addiction, or frailty.

We are currently looking to fill the roles of:

    • Office Administrator (35 hours)
    • Support Worker – Young Adult Carers (35 hours)

Applications close on Monday 14 March 2022 and Friday 18 March 2022, respectively.

You can find out more about the roles and how to apply at our VACANCIES page!

 

 

Parent Carers Forum (Falkirk) Consultation

Parent carers in the Falkirk area told us last year they would benefit from a dedicated Parent Carers Forum in which they could come together to have an opportunity to have a say in services such as health and social care, provisions and support which affect the child, them as a carer and the wider family.

To help roll this out, we are hosting an informal chat on Wednesday 9 February from 6pm โ€“ 7pm via Microsoft Teams. All parent carers who are interested and wish to participate in the Parent Carers Forum are invited!

For more info or to get involved please contact Susan on susandocherty@centralcarers.co.uk or by phoning 01324 611 510 (option 4).

We’re hiring!

We are currently looking to fill the role of:

    • Admin Worker (35 hours)

Applications close on Monday 10 January 2022.

You can find out more about the roles and how to apply at our VACANCIES page!

Carers Right’s Day 2021

CARERS RIGHTS DAY 2021 will be held on Thursday 25 November, and to mark the day, the Carers Centre is hosting a special video call from 12 noon.

We’ll be joined by Allan Robertson from Social Security Scotland, who will provide information on the changes to certain benefits and what this will mean to carers; our own Laura McKenzie, who will give an update on the Local Carers Strategy Review; as well as the carer representative on the Falkirk Health & Social Care Partnership Integration Joint Board, Morven Mack.

Click here to view the full agenda!

Whether you are a new carer or have been caring for someone for a while, we believe that itโ€™s important that you understand your rights and are able to access the support that is available to you as soon as you need it. Many people are taking on more caring responsibilities for their relatives and friends who are disabled, ill or older and who need support. Each year, Carers Rights Day helps us:

  • ensure carers are aware of their rights
  • let carers know where to get help and support
  • raise awareness of the needs of carers.

This year’s Carers Rights Day campaign will focus on raising awareness of the rights that unpaid carers have. The pandemic has had a massive impact on the lives of carers, affecting access to services, the ability to juggle work and care and much more. That’s why itโ€™s more important than ever that carers are aware of what they have the right to.

 

Carers UK

To find out more, or to join the session, please contact Susan Docherty on 01324 611 510 (option 4), or email susandocherty@centralcarers.co.uk.