Summary

Every unpaid carer in Bolton whether past, present or future makes an invaluable contribution not only to the person they are caring for but also to their local community and Bolton as a whole.

Being a carer is an enormous challenge at the best of times, but the past couple of years have been exceptionally difficult for both unpaid and professional carers alike. Everyone in Bolton appreciates, recognises and values your continued efforts.

This strategy demonstrates our joint commitment in working together to ensure that all carers have access to the right information and support at the right time, and in the right way.

We have focused on:

• What carers have told us matters to them
• What we intend to do to deliver on the challenges identified in this strategy
• How we will know we have made a difference

What carers have told us matters to them

Each caring situation is unique, with many, if not all, carers leaving little or no time to take care of themselves.

Carers told us that they want to be heard. They want to tell their story once, and for professionals to recognise them as valued experts in the care of the person they support. Carers also want to be supported to maintain their own health and wellbeing, identified and assessed within a familiar safe space and supported to remain in work, as well as listened to and action taken to address issues and concerns they raise.

What we intend to do to deliver on the challenges identified in this strategy

Engaging with our carers across Bolton, as a Partnership we have identified five priorities, with specific objectives to support each priority over the next two years.

• Respect - Recognise and respect carers
• Support - Support all carers
• Identify - Reach unknown carers
• Trust - Create a culture of trust
• Accessible - Accessible support

Bolton young carers pledge

Young carers have a different set of wants and needs, including the same life chances as other young people, including feeling valued, having time to themselves and more support to stay in school and thrive.

Based on engagement feedback with our young carers, Bolton Partners have agreed on specific aims within four main aims to focus on over the next two years:

• Assess - Increase young carer assessments
• Support - Support young carers to develop a Bolton pledge
• Education - Provide additional support to help keep children in training and education
• Transition - Ensure children are supported during transition to adulthood

How will we know we’ve made a difference?

Each organisation in the partnership will be responsible for identifying and implementing the actions they will take to support progress against the strategy priorities and objectives. It is important that the Carers Partnership has a way of knowing that the actions and commitments being undertaken are making a difference for carers.

Some of the ways that we will do this include:

• Carers will be involved in the development of the delivery plan to ensure that identified actions address carers’ priorities
• We will invite carers to share their experiences at partnership meetings, ensuring that carers’ voices are heard and that they can influence change
• Partners will report progress against the actions they are taking a lead role on delivering
• We will work as a partnership on any statutory, Greater Manchester or regional submissions relating to carers or young carers, ensuring that the voice of our carers is captured in our local returns
• GP practices will make every contact count, will continue to identify carers in a timely manner, and offer an individualised annual health check and appropriate support
• We will ensure commissioned services share a summary of their performance

*Data collected between March and September 2022. *Healthwatch Bolton and BLGC high level quotes.

The ful text of the Carers' Strategy is shown on the following pages.

Alternatively, you can download a pdf copy of Bolton Integrated Partnership All Age Strategy 2023-2025 or request a hard copy by emailing families@bolton.gov.uk