One in eight people look after someone with an illness or long term disability.
You are a carer if you are spending a regular amount of time looking after or supporting someone. This could be a relative, partner or friend who without your support or the help of other carers would be unable to live independently.
We recognise the vital importance of carers and the support they provide, both the practical and the emotional. Without carers, many people would not only struggle to stay independent but would become isolated, lonely and depressed. However, caring can be really tough and demanding and we want to give carers the best support we can.
As well as involving you as a carer in the planning of support for the person you care for, we will make sure you can access the information and advice you need and offer you an assessment of your needs. You may also be eligible for support services in your own right if your caring role is having a significant impact on your life.
Carers Information and Support Service (CISS)
The Carers Information and Support Service (CISS) works with Hull Adult Social Care.
The team’s primary focus is on the needs of the carer, keeping them well and enabling them to live their life while undertaking a caring role. The team will be able to support carers with the following:
- Carer's Needs Assessment
- Carer's Reviews
- Carer Break Funding
- Information and advice
- Signposting and referral to other services
- Listening ear
- Peer Support groups
- Emergency planning
Carers Card
If you are a carer you can now benefit from a Free Carer Card; a card which officially identifies you as a carer and that should be carried by you at all times. There is no charge for the card.
-
The card has two main purposes -
- to notify emergency services that someone you are responsible for needs support, should something happen to you
- to get you discounted access to local health and wellbeing services, as well as with selected local shops and businesses
Employment support for carers
Employment Support within the Carers’ Information and Support Service (CISS) is to offer support to carers’ who are balancing their caring role and employment.
The focus of this is to offer carers’ the access to support, information, and advice they require by taking a flexible approach around appointments and the way we communicate; this is carried out over the telephone, face to face appointments, at multiple sites across the city or within your own workplace. Our Employment Support Worker also attends Health and Wellbeing Events within the workplace to raise awareness of unpaid carers and also promote the information, advice and support available.