SEND Local Offer - Information for Carers

A carer is someone of any age providing support to family or friends who could not manage without this help. This may be due to a physical or learning disability, mental health condition, long-term illness, addiction or substance misuse. Family carers do not get paid.

Cares can be parents of children and young people with SEND, and brothers and sisters could be young carers. Grand parents may also be carers and require support and information at times and so on. It is important to spell this out because we know from speaking to some parents, and also young people, that they don't recognise themselves as "carers", just family, doing what family do - caring. Families may not realise that there is a support network available.

Things that might affect carers include:

• Deteriorating emotional health and wellbeing

• Deteriorating physical health and wellbeing

• Worsening medical conditions

• Social isolation

• Loss of a sense of identity

• Loneliness

• Financial difficulties

• Difficulties concentrating at work/school

• Difficulties maintaining relationships

From this page, you can navigate to information about:

• Local organisations that support carers in Kingston

• Other organisations that support carers

• Other sources of support

• Young carers and siblings

• Allowances and benefits for carers

• Parent carer needs assessments

• How could you help carers and young carers?

• Charitable grant and funding to help families