12 January 2022

CLOSED: This discussion has concluded.

There are many different types of carer and they come from all walks of life, ages, ethnicities, and backgrounds - anyone can find themselves in a caring role at some point in their life. In this draft strategy, we use the Care Act 2014 legal framework and therefore, we define a carer as someone in an unpaid role who provides or intends to provide care and/or support to another adult.

They may be mums and dads, husbands, wives, partners, brothers, sisters, friends, and neighbours.

Following research, engagement and co-production activities with unpaid carers, the public and providers, we are now running a public consultation on our draft Kent adult carers strategy 2022 to 2027.

Through our conversations so far, we have heard clear views from unpaid carers about what is important to them and have brought them together in the strategy document.

The key points they highlighted for action include:

  • supporting the carer to maintain their own identity and live a full life
  • working collaboratively with carers at every stage
  • working in a more joined-up way with partner organisations to offer high quality support that is tailored to the carer’s own needs
  • respecting carers and listening to their views
  • communicating with carers in a clear and consistent way
  • making information more available and offering trusted points of contact.

The need to reflect the ‘key moments’ in a carer’s journey (as well as a person’s ongoing support needs) has also been included and these key moments have been shaped by recent feedback.

Our aim is to work more closely with unpaid carers and our partners to turn these ambitions into reality and bring welcomed improvements to the experiences of carers in Kent.

Have your say

We need your views on the draft strategy, which sets out what changes we want to see in the future and outlines the principles we will follow to achieve our five-year vision of: “Making a difference every day by supporting and empowering you to live a fulfilling life whilst being a carer, as long as you are willing and able.”

Please read the draft strategy and answer the questions to let us know what you think. We will take your responses into consideration and a final version of the strategy will go to the Adult Social Care Cabinet Committee before it is approved.

Stay involved

To receive regular updates about how you can continue to shape adult social care in Kent, please visit www.kent.gov.uk/yourvoice.