Gateshead Adult Caregivers Strategy 2024-2029

Unpaid caregivers provide an immense contribution to supporting the health and wellbeing of those who are cared-for in Gateshead. Local leaders recognise the significance of the unpaid caring role and partner organisations have set out an updated strategy to improve the lives of caregivers. This strategy outlines five key priorities and sets out a plan to improve services to better meet caregivers' needs.

Who is this strategy for?

This strategy is for adult (18+) caregivers living in or giving care in Gateshead. The 2021 Census identified that there are approximately 18,802 unpaid caregivers in Gateshead, around 10% of the total Gateshead population (population over five years of age). This is likely to be an underestimation of the true picture, as many caregivers do not identify with the term 'carer' or 'caregiver'. The frequency, quantity and manner of care provided by local caregivers varies greatly, as do the circumstances of the care. The Carer's Trust estimate that 19 million people in the UK have provided unpaid care in their lifetime (statistics from the Carers Trust poll (opens new window)), 73% of which did not identify themselves as a carer.

Caregivers support people with a range of needs and long-term health conditions (for example, caring for an adult child with learning disabilities, a relative with serious mental health issues, those with drug and alcohol addiction, or individuals with health conditions such as Alzheimer's or Dementia), meaning the experience of caregiving can vary greatly. That said, there are some shared experiences and challenges:

• 2021 Census data (opens new window) demonstrates that the majority (59%) of caregivers in Gateshead are women, with men making up 41% of caregivers
• Black, Asian, Mixed Roma, Gypsy & Traveller, and 'Other' ethnicities represented only 5% of Gateshead caregivers identified in the 2021 Census. This is likely to be an underestimation due to many not recognising themselves as a caregiver. Black and Minoritised Ethnic caregivers may experience barriers such as feeling uncomfortable asking for help, experiencing prejudice, discrimination or harassment, or struggling to find appropriate information and advice (find out more about supporting Black, Asian and minority ethnic carers (opens new window))
• caregivers experience health problems more often than the wider population. The Gateshead Carers Association 2023 survey (opens new window) shows almost half of unpaid carers in Gateshead report having a disability or long-term illness
• 43% of caregivers reported that their caring role had caused financial difficulties (according to the Personal Social Services survey of adult carers in England 2021-22 (opens new window)) 
• caregivers from minoritised ethnic backgrounds face additional practical and cultural challenges because of issues such as stereotyping, language barriers and discrimination. This can increase poor health, poverty, and social exclusion (according to Carers UK - improving support for BAME carers (opens new window))
• there is a lack of data nationally and locally on LGBTQ+ caregivers, however Carers Trust UK estimate there are at least 390,000 LGBTQ+ caregivers in the UK. Evidence (from Carers UK (opens new window)) suggests LGBTQ+ caregivers experience poorer health than heterosexual caregivers

Who is a caregiver?

In this strategy, the word 'caregiver' is used to describe someone who provides unpaid care. The majority of respondents to the Gateshead Carers Association 2020 survey (60%) did not like being referred to as 'carers' because 'carer' is often used to describe paid care workers. In countries such as Australia and Germany, the term 'caregiver' is used because it emphasises the 'giving' of time and care without financial support (find out more about international carer facts (opens new window)).

There are many definitions of caregivers in the UK. The below definition is applied in this strategy:

Caregivers are people who provide unpaid care to a friend, family member or neighbour, who, due to illness, disability, frailty, a mental health condition or an addiction, cannot cope without support.

(taken from the Giving Care in Gateshead report (opens new window))

During consultation, children and young people between 5-17 years old who provide unpaid care stated they would like to be referred to as 'young carers'.

Who will use this strategy?

There are many organisations that support caregivers, including Gateshead Council, Integrated Care Board (ICB), health partners and the voluntary sector. There is a shared a responsibility to support caregivers to live a well and meaningful life, however the Council and ICB have a leadership responsibility in making sure the aims of the strategy are met.

A Carers Partnership Board has been established to challenge and support stakeholders in advancing the interests of Caregivers. It will help to deliver the commitments outlined in this strategy and monitor progress. The board is composed of caregivers with lived experience, carer organisations, staff from Adult Social Care, representatives from the ICB and health trusts, and other relevant individuals and voluntary groups.

The Health and Wellbeing Board is responsible for ensuring that residents in Gateshead live healthy and happy lives. They have developed five key pledges through the Health and Wellbeing Strategy which reflect the Council's Thrive agenda:

• putting people and families at the heart of everything we do
• tackle inequality so people have a fair chance
• support our communities to support themselves and each other
• invest in our economy to provide opportunities for employment, innovation, and growth
• work together and fight for a better future for Gateshead

The strategy has also been developed to reflect best practice guidance such as the NICE Quality Standards for supporting adult carers (opens new window).

Engagement and participation

Caregivers have shaped the development of this strategy through workshops, in partnership with Healthwatch Gateshead and the Carers Partnership Board. Consultation took place with the Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) including organisations such as: Carers Trust Tyne and Wear, Alzheimer Society, Gateshead Carers Association, and local Health Trusts. Engagement activity took place between 2021-2023.

Some of the quotes included in the report reflect engagement through the 'Giving Care in Gateshead' research project (opens new window), led by Dan Taylor at the Open University, with support from Gateshead Carers Association.

Aim of this strategy

Gateshead should be a place where caregivers are recognised, valued, and supported to thrive, both in their caring role and as individuals. This strategy sets out a vision to improve the lives of caregivers in Gateshead. In doing so, we recognise the immense contribution caregivers make to our communities and demonstrate our commitment to supporting caregivers over the strategy term and beyond.

Priorities

Five key priorities have been developed, which reflect the ideas and feedback provided by caregivers between 2021 and 2023.

1. information and advice
2. valuing caregivers
3. money and finances
4. employment and education
5. health of caregivers

What have we done so far?

The previous Gateshead Carers Strategy (2014-2017) aimed to:

"Set out a framework for partners to work together to achieve the national vision for carers and enable people in Gateshead who have caring responsibilities now or in the future to have an ordinary life - a life outside of caring and an identity that is separate from that of the people they support."

The 2014-2017 Strategy identified five key priorities:

1. early identification and recognition of caregivers
2. realising and releasing caregiver potential
3. supporting caregivers to stay healthy
4. a life outside of caring
5. financial wellbeing and support

While these priorities will be replaced by the new 2023-2028 strategy, the priorities identified in 2014 remain resonant. Throughout this document, we will outline the work that has been done to support caregivers in Gateshead, since the last strategy.

What has changed?

In 2019, Gateshead Council and the CCG (now ICB) commissioned Gateshead Carers Association and Carers Trust Tyne and Wear to deliver key services for young and adult caregivers across the borough. Each service was commissioned on a 5-year contract, from 2019-2024.

Gateshead Carers Association deliver services for adult caregivers in Gateshead including; one-to-one support, support groups, financial and benefit support, Carer Wellbeing Grants, and short breaks. They also provide Adult Carers Assessments on behalf of the Local Authority.

Gateshead Carers Association provide services to caregivers irrespective of the health and social care needs of the cared-for person, including dementia, cancer, substance misuse, mental health, learning disabilities, sensory loss, ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder), physical disability and kinship caregivers.

Carers Trust Tyne and Wear deliver services for young carers and complete Statutory Young Carer Assessments. Young carers in Gateshead can access Carer Wellbeing Grants, social activities, wellbeing support and educational support. The Young Carers Service also host an Experts panel, through which young people make strategic decisions about the service.

Carers Trust Tyne and Wear also deliver the Carer Relief Service. In 2022, they delivered 33,000 hours of care to allow caregivers a break from their caring role.

Other services that support unpaid caregivers in Gateshead include Alzheimer's Society and Age UK Gateshead.