The Petrie Family

Life was stressful before receiving support from Crossroads Fife Central. Being a carer to children with additional support needs disrupts a lot of family life which I did not realise.

Crossroads became involved to give me some respite, a break caring for the child who had additional needs. Crossroads offers a core service and a support worker takes my child to places that he enjoys, such as bowling, swimming and trips to the cinema. This gives me time to spend with my youngest son. Life now is a lot more relaxed as he gets to go other places.
I would definitely recommend Crossroads Fife Central.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           Margaret Petrie – July 2017
 

Self Directed Support was introduced in Scotland on 1st April 2014 following the Social Care (Self-directed Support) (Scotland) Act 2013. Its introduction means that everyone eligible for social care and support has the right to choice, control and flexibility to meet their personal outcomes and local authorities are required to ensure clients are offered a range of choices on how they receive their social care services and support. The data reported here relates to the second year of Self-directed Support implementation (2015-16).

The data shows that 27% of people made an informed choice about their support. Whilst 11% of people chose Option 1 - Direct Payments and 9% chose Option 2, most people, 75%, opted for Option 3, with only 4% choosing a mixture of the various options. The statistics also show that age has an influence on what option people choose. From the over 65 age group, 86% chose Option 3, whilst over half of under 65 group, 54%,  chose Option 1.

If you would like to read more the full report can be found here: ​www.gov.scot/Publications/2017/07/1120

As a provider of SDS, we are proud to have been chosen to help people achieve their outcomes. If you would like to discuss how we can help you, please call June Cunningham on Tel: 01592 610540.

One in four unpaid carers “have not had a day off” in five years11 July 2017 Carers are reaching ‘breaking point’ as they struggle to take even a day away from care responsibilities for years at a time, research by Carers UK has found. 4 in 10 (40%) of unpaid carers have not had a break in over one year, whilst one in four (25%) had not received a single day away from caring in five years.
The charity’s report, State of Caring 2017, found that carers most frequently listed access to breaks as one of three factors which could make a difference in their lives (42%).  Respondents explained their own personal reasons for needing a break, listing diverse benefits ranging from the opportunity to spend time with partners and children to being able to see a doctor for their own health conditions. Yet few are able to take regular breaks, with only 16% of carers currently buying or receiving a break from caring in the form of services such as respite or alternative care provisions.
Carers who had not had a break in a year or more reported a deterioration in their health, both mentally (73%) and physically (65%). Despite the catastrophic impact posed by a lack of personal time, 87% of carers still “struggle” to attain time away from their care duties. Carers named a number of barriers preventing them from taking a break:

• Cost - Paying for or contributing towards the cost of a break (31%)
• Care concerns – Person cared for is unwilling to accept support from others (31%), 
  support not on offer (27%), or 
  low confidence in quality of care (19%)
• Lack of awareness – Carers would not know how to request a break (16%)

The research also charts a growing anxiety around the level of support that will be available against a backdrop of cuts to adult social care services. Almost a third (29%) of carers are worried that practical support for them might be reduced in the future. Already, more than a third (34%) of carers reported a change in the services they or the person they care for receives and, of these, four in ten (39%) experienced a reduction in the amount of support offered by social services.
Two years after the Care Act put in place stronger duties on local authorities to support carers, these new rights are not improving the lives of many carers in England. Carer’s assessments, designed to look at the impact on carers’ health and wellbeing, are too-often failing to put in place vital breaks and support. Two in three (68%) carers believe their need to have regular breaks away from caring was not “thoroughly considered” during their assessment.
Heléna Herklots CBE, Chief Executive of Carers UK, said:
“More and more of us are stepping in to provide care and support to loved ones and doing so for more hours every week. Without access to breaks, carers can quickly reach breaking point, unable to look after their own health, nurture relationships with friends and family or have the time they need to themselves. Our research shows that carers are struggling to get a break because appropriate support for their loved ones isn’t available or services they rely on are being cut or charged for.
The need for an action plan from the Government on how they will improve support to carers is now urgent. Increasing funding for carers’ breaks is a key part of the change needed to support people to care without putting their own lives on hold.
Given the enormous value of unpaid care provided by the UK’s 6.5 million carers, estimated to be worth £132 billion each year – getting some time away from caring to spend time with a partner, get to a medical appointment or just get a full night’s sleep surely isn’t too much to ask.”
Carers UK believes that immediate practical action on the following is needed to make a difference to carers’ lives:

• Following its consultation on a new Carers Strategy, the Government must publish an action plan setting out how improved support for carers will be achieved with targets and milestones so carers can see the progress being made.
• Increased and ring-fenced funding for carers’ breaks, offering a transparency and consistency across local authorities to those who need a break from caring.
• Sustainable funding settlements for social care and the NHS, including the provision of housing fit for caring, affordable care services, and technology that supports carers.
• Carer-friendly NHS, including policies that help identify carers and to promote our health and well-being resources.

The Family of Joe Swan
​
Joe Swan receives 18 hours support each week over a 7 day period, purchase through Self Directed Support Option 1 - Direct Payments. We received the following testimonial from Mr Swan's daughter.

At first, we were anxious about strangers looking after Dad, but as a family we were beginning to struggle with his care needs. We therefore contacted social services and chose the self-directed care option as we wanted to have as much control as possible over any decisions made. From the initial consultation eighteen months ago until now, we have found Crossroads to be a very professional organisation with high quality and well trained staff. Dad’s requirements have always been the top priority and every effort is made to liaise with the family and to ensure that the carers are matched to provide him with his particular needs. He is now 96 and still happily living at home where he receives compassionate care and stimulating company every day. There are many times when the carers go above and beyond to make him feel special and we feel very fortunate to have their support in allowing our dad to live as independently as possible. We have no hesitation in recommending Crossroads as a care provider. 
​
                                                                                                          Dorothy Gilmour - July 2017