Carers Week 10th – 16th June 2019

During Carers Week, Kent Community Foundation is keen to raise awareness about the estimated one hundred and twenty thousand unpaid carers in Kent and reach those who need support.

Kent Community Foundation (KCF) is delighted to have supported hundreds of young and adult carers but unfortunately, they know that there will be many carers in Kent who may need support and haven’t yet received it.

Josephine McCartney, Chief Executive, Kent Community Foundation said, “Kent Community Foundation supports young carers with after school activities and residential holidays and provides respite care for adult carers. We would love charity employees, social workers, GPs, specialist doctors, occupational therapists or teachers to send us nominations so that we can connect with carers, who need our help.”

Being a carer has a huge impact on the individual, their families and the community, as these stories show:

A young carer, X, lives in Dartford and cares for mum. Mum has multiple health issues and struggles with her mental health. X offers emotional support as well as dealing with most of the housework. The pent-up frustrations and anxiety of being a carer led to X misbehaving at school. KCF awarded funding for membership fees and equipment allowing X to join a local boxing club.

X says, “I am very grateful for the opportunity to be able to box; I have learnt new things as well as having the chance to forget my worries about mum, who can be quite unwell sometimes. I have made some new friends at boxing too!”

Y lives in Gravesham with their parents and brother and is a carer for dad who has PTSD and mobility issues. Y provides physical and emotional support to dad, as well as helping to support an autistic brother. KCF funding paid for annual membership and uniform costs for Y to join the local Sea Cadets, something they had always wanted to do.

Y says, “I love sea cadets because I've been able to make new friends who enjoy the same things I do. I have been able to go on a sailing barge and I've learnt lifesaving skills including CPR and how to tie a special knot, which can be used in the absence of a ring, to save people at sea. I just want to thank you again for the wonderful opportunity you have given me!”

To tell KCF about a carer who needs support, please email an initial request to: joanne@kentcf.org.uk with a brief summary of the situation. If the request is eligible, a nomination form will be emailed back for you to complete on the individual or family’s behalf.

Funding for individuals and families

KCF can offer funding support to individuals and families with carers. The individual or family being nominated must be a resident of Kent or Medway and adhere to these criteria;

• There must be a demonstrable financial disadvantage underlying the request (e.g. the family are reliant on benefits or out of work for whatever reason)
• All nominations must be submitted by a professional third party
• The request is not for something that local or national authorities have a statutory duty to provide

KCF cannot accept nominations directly from the beneficiary or their family and friends. Examples of people that could nominate on another’s behalf include (but are not limited to): charity employees, social workers, GPs and specialist doctors, occupational therapists or teachers.

For more information visit: www.kentcf.org.uk/funding/individuals

About Carers Week

Carers Week is an annual campaign to raise awareness of caring, highlight the challenges unpaid carers face and recognise the contribution they make to families and communities throughout the UK. It also helps people who don't think of themselves as having caring responsibilities to identify as carers and access much-needed support.

The campaign is brought to life by thousands of individuals and organisations who come together to organise activities and events throughout the UK, drawing attention to just how important caring is.

It is estimated that the UK has 6.5 million carers and Kent has over120,000.