Carer Networks Leicester

For people who care for people with mental ill-health

Families supporting someone experiencing challenges such as severe mental ill health, addiction or other complex circumstances often carry an enormous emotional and practical burden. The Carer Networks project will provide facilitated support meetings, bringing together carers, family members, trusted friends and professionals to:

• strengthen relationships
• improve communication
• develop practical support plans
• reduce isolation
• help prevent crises such as homelessness or family breakdown

Our hope is that by strengthening the support around individuals, we can help families face challenges together and reduce the need for crisis intervention.

What will the meetings look like

Our meetings will be based on a simple 3 step process:

Plan – mediate and meet – review.

• The meeting will be run using a professional context where the safety of all present (or discussed) will always be paramount.
• It will be an opportunity to reflect on carers needs, and how things are going for all parts of their network.
• Assure that carers have appropriate and timely information they need to make the best decisions for all involved.
• Will use a structured ‘Network Meeting’ (based on the Family Group Conferencing Model) to negotiate with the network around the family, short-, mid- and long-term plans. This can include discussing the needs of all parties, caring arrangements, finances and personal/ family health.
• Help carers to feel listened to, valued and supported.
• The service will always remain responsive to what Carers themselves say they need. This will be done in partnership with the other services working in Leicester, so that Carers’ needs will be seen as a collaborative responsibility and everyone in the network will be held accountable for what they say and do.
• The service will always endeavour to ensure that the support offered is appropriate and culturally sensitive to the needs of families.

Eligibility

• We will be offering these meetings at no cost to carers or those who they care for.
• In line with other Open Hands projects, this service will be available to people who are experiencing financial insecurity.
• An initial discussion will take place with the Manager of the service to ensure that we are able to help.

What are we not offering

We are not to be considered as an emergency service. Our phone lines will be monitored throughout the week and we hope to respond to people within 5 working days.

If you feel you are in need of emergency support please contact 999, or NHS 111.

The service will not undertake the work of other agencies and will seek to strengthen the networks of support that already exist around carers.

Links to other services:

Citizens Advice Bureau https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/

Safeguarding

For a copy of our Safeguarding Policy, please contact Admin@openhandsleicester.org.uk.

 

How to get in touch

You can make a referral yourself, refer a family member, friend or carer, or make a referral on behalf of someone you professionally support. 

Contact Andrew Starr for an initial conversation about the meetings we offer and where we will be able to help you. 

Phone/WhatsApp: 07868 288290

Email: Andrew@openhandsleicester.org.uk

We aim to contact you within 5 working days.