Leeds Carers Partnership releases new strategy on Carers Rights Day to support the city's 75,000 unsung heroes

A strategy to support the 75,000 unpaid carers in the city is being released today to coincide with Carers Right Day.
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The Leeds Carers Partnership has launched a new strategy focused on supporting the physical, mental and financial wellbeing of those providing unpaid care and it comes after what will have been one of the most challenging years for carers and families.

With support from the Leeds Health and Wellbeing Board, the strategy, known as ‘Putting carers at the heart of everything we do’, sets out to support the health and wellbeing of carers and reduce the health and financial inequalities they experience while caring.

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The Leeds Carers Partnership, which brings staff from diverse organisations together with carers, has set out six priorities as part of this strategy.

Val Hewison, chief executive of Carers Leeds.Val Hewison, chief executive of Carers Leeds.
Val Hewison, chief executive of Carers Leeds.

They are to focus upon Making Leeds a carer-friendly city, Improving identification of carers, Supporting carers to care, Ensuring the right support at the right time for young carers, Amplifying carer voice and involvement and Influencing change and innovation within caring.

Leeds City Council estimates that there are around 75,000 unpaid carers in Leeds caring for family, relatives and friends - often sacrificing their own careers, education and social lives.

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Read More: Second lockdown takes it toll on mental health of carers

The chief executive of Carers Leeds, Val Hewison, said that in addition to the strategy it was vital that carers groups, forums and resources were started again before the impact on the mental and physical health of carers became "a runaway train that we cannot stop".

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During lockdown, the charity had dropped off welcome packs for carers at the end of driveways but she said that conversation with another person from the bottom of garden path was more useful than any information leaflet.

She told the Yorkshire Evening Post: "More than ever family carers are keeping people safe and well whilst protecting people from COVID. It has been a real interesting period and has shone a very bright spotlight on how invaluable family carers always have been but more than ever because they are keeping people away from services.

"That can be at a cost. Nine months of lockdown and restrictions and people are really struggling because support services were stopped. You can only do that for so long. It is okay to open up society to Primark and Christmas shopping but for many carers the risk is too great, they will continue to feel that isolation and the impact on mental and physical health.

"Now is the time to live by the vision and values of the strategy. People need people, open up support groups. It is like a runaway train and we can say there is a vaccine but we need to act now and stop that train."

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