Advocacy - Carers Count

If you are a carer, we can help with…

Advocacy

Carers Count provides free Advocacy services to unpaid carers in Lancashire.

Our Advocates can offer support to carers for issues falling under the Care Act, and with issue-based, non-statutory advocacy for carers aged 18+.

What is advocacy?

Advocacy is about supporting people to have more control and say over their own lives. We help people to make their own decisions, speak up about what they want and need, and achieve their own goals on things that are important to them.

We are here to help ensure that carers’ rights are upheld and that they understand the health and social care processes that are often a part of caring for a loved one.

Am I entitled to an Advocate?

If you are an adult (over 18) and caring for an individual with additional needs, either you or the person you care for lives in Lancashire and you have an issue you need support with, we can probably support you. If we can’t help, we will try and find an organisation that can!

I get Carer’s Allowance. Can I still have an Advocate?

YES! Getting Carer’s Allowance still means you are an unpaid carer and can have an Advocate if you have an issue you need help with.

How would I benefit from having an Advocate?

Advocates will work alongside you, at your pace. They are not there to tell you what to do or make decisions for you. Advocates will listen and help to communicate your views to health and social care professionals. Advocates will never act on your behalf without your consent.

I don’t know my rights as a carer, can an Advocate still help me?

Absolutely! An Advocate can advise you on what your rights are and help you to access the information you need to make your own informed decisions. You can also learn more about carers’ rights here.

The person I care for is in residential care. Do I still qualify for a carer’s Advocate?

Yes! You are still classed as a carer, and we understand that your caring role does not stop when your loved one is in a residential setting.

How would an Advocate help me communicate with professionals?

Our Advocates would support you when communicating with health and social care professionals. They will ensure that your views are taken seriously, your rights are upheld, and your voice is heard. This can be in face-to-face meetings, via email or a letter or during online meetings.

I get nervous around professionals. Can an Advocate come to meetings with me?

Yes! Our Advocates can attend meetings and even assessments with you if you feel that you need that support. They can also help you to prepare for meetings, explain processes, and let you know what to expect. If you struggle to communicate during meetings, an Advocate can provide support with prompts to help you or even talk on your behalf if needed.

Could an Advocate help me make a complaint?

An Advocate can help you make a complaint to social services and other local authority agencies or health care services. They will listen to your views and work with you to find the best way to raise your concerns and support you throughout the complaints process.

I’m unhappy with the care package my loved one is receiving. Can an Advocate help me challenge this?

Although we can never guarantee the outcome, our Advocate will support you to challenge decisions that have been made about the person you care for if you disagree with them.

I’m a parent carer, what could an Advocate help me with?

An Advocate can help parent carers with any health and social care-related issues or concerns around the care of their child with additional needs. This could include support at meetings, including child protection and child in need meetings, meetings in educational settings, care reviews and support at assessments.

Can an Advocate help me apply for and claim benefits?

No, this is not something one of our Advocates could help you with, but they can refer you to the right local service to support you.

Can an Advocate help me with legal issues?

No. Our Advocates are not trained to offer legal advice, but they can help you to access the right legal support.

Find out more about Carers Count Lancashire and the services we offer.

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Information / Resources (downloads & links)

Carer health and wellbeing

Dementia

Digital and technology

Grief and bereavement

Learning disabilities and neurodivergent

Mental health and
drug and alcohol dependencies

Parent carers of SEND children

Working carers

Carer health and wellbeing

We know that being a carer can be both rewarding and isolating. It’s vital that you know where to get the right support to make sure that your own health and wellbeing doesn’t suffer in your caring role.

Below you’ll find some useful links to help you access support, groups, courses, and wellbeing sessions to help give you that bit of headspace. Looking after your own health and wellbeing is important for you and the person you care for.

Carers Count Resources:

Peer Support and Drop-ins
Advocacy

Other local services:

Useful links to national services:

Dementia

We recognise that caring for a loved one, family member or friend with dementia can bring its own set of unique challenges. We understand that the support you need changes over time and can often be hard to predict.

They are many services and support networks available across Lancashire and further afield to support you as a carer and the person you are caring for.

We’ve pulled together the following useful links and resources to help signpost you to services that can help you in your caring role.

Carers Count Resources:

Signposting & Information
Peer support and drop-in sessions

Other local services:

Useful links to national services:

Digital and technology

As we move further into the digital world, staying connected and being able to access services online are becoming vital tools in your caring role. We understand that many carers can feel overwhelmed online. Not knowing where to go or how to use new technologies can often be a barrier to carers accessing the support they need.

There are services out there that can offer help and assistance to get you online. From training and support, to funding for new equipment such as tablets, laptops and even smartphones. We’ve pulled together the following list of resources that provide digital support to carers.

Other local services:

Carers Link Lancashire
Lancashire Carers (n-compass)
Healthwatch Lancashire
Blackburn with Darwen Carer Service (Carers Trust)
Blackpool Carers
Barnardo’s Lancashire Young Carers
Manchester Carers Centre

Useful links to national services:

Grief and bereavement

Losing someone that we care for affects everyone differently. We understand that during such a difficult time you may need help to manage both the emotional and practical demands that come with that loss.

We can assist you with any Advocacy needs that you may have during this period and welcome you to our peer support groups with other carers.

We have also listed other services below that may be able to offer additional support to help you manage your grief on your bereavement journey.

Carers Count Resources:

Peer Support and drop-in sessions

Other local services:

Useful links to national services:

Learning disabilities and neurodivergent

We understand it can be difficult to find the right support when you are caring for a loved one with learning disabilities and/or a neurological condition such as Autism, ADHD and other neurodivergent conditions. We are here to help lighten the load by providing practical guidance and advice on how to access services.

Our Advocates can help support you with issue-based advocacy when you are dealing with health professionals. If our team can’t help with your specific requirements, we will signpost you to the service that best suits your needs.

Below we’ve listed links to services and resources that may be useful.

Carers Count Resources:

Signposting & Information
Peer Support and Drop-ins
Advocacy
See also our Parent Carers resources

Other local services:

Useful links to national services:

Mental health and
drug and alcohol dependencies

Caring for a friend, family member or loved one with mental health needs, drug and alcohol dependencies, or dementia brings many unique challenges. Our peer support groups can provide a safe environment for you to share your experiences with other carers and our Advocates are on hand to help you with specific issue-based needs around your caring role.

There are many other services across Lancashire and the UK that can provide additional support. We’ve pulled together a helpful resource with links below.

Carers Count Resources:

Peer Support and Drop-ins
Advocacy

Other local services:

Useful links to national services:

Parent carers of SEND children

If you are caring for a child aged 0-25 with SEND (special educational needs and disabilities) you are entitled to support as a parent carer. We can help you by providing issue-based Advocacy support to ensure that your rights are upheld and that your voice is heard when dealing with health professionals.

Below you will find links to useful information and other services that may also be able to offer you additional support in your caring role.

Carers Count Resources:

Signposting & Information
Peer Support and Drop-ins
Advocacy
Learning disability and neurodivergent resources

Other local services:

Useful links to national services:

Working carers

Carers UK put the number of working carers in the UK at around 5 million. That’s a staggering 1 in 7 employees who are juggling work around their caring role.

Awareness of the challenges faced by working carers is growing and whilst it’s good to know that you’re not alone, we also want to make sure that you know your rights as a working carer.

Whether you need help to understand your rights to request flexible working or what time off you are entitled to for your caring duties, our Advocates can provide guidance. If we can’t support you ourselves, we can help you to access the right services that can.

Below, you will find some additional links and resources:

Carers Count Resources:

Peer Support and drop-ins
Advocacy
FAQ’s

Other local services:

Useful links to national services: