Consultation: Your views on the (draft) West Northants Carer Strategy 2024-2029

Overview

As a carer or as someone supporting a carer, we would like your feedback on our draft Carer Strategy 2024-29.

Working with local carers living in West Northamptonshire, West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) has developed a new draft strategy on how we would like to support carers. We recognise the increasingly important role that carers play in our society, and how together with partners, we must improve the help and support available to them.

This draft strategy is for all unpaid carers that live in, or care for someone that lives in, West Northamptonshire. It puts a spotlight on our carers and how we will provide vital support and information, by working with our partners as well as working closely with carers themselves.

Who is a carer? Who is a carer?

Many of us look after someone that we care about. We define a carer as a person that provides unpaid support to a partner, family member, friend or neighbour who is ill, struggling or disabled and could not manage without this help. This is distinct from of care worker, that is paid to support people.

Background

During 2023, we carried out an assessment of the responsibilities WNC has for carers. We held nine in person engagement sessions across West Northamptonshire, two online/virtual engagement session and an online survey to ask for views from carers. We used the results of the assessment and engagement feedback to develop the draft strategy. Local people with lived experience of caring, who we refer to as Experts By Experience (EBE) carers, were also recruited during the engagement activities.

The draft strategy has been developed, written and co-produced with EBE carers so that it reflects and incorporates a West Northamptonshire carer viewpoint.

Over the next five years WNC will focus on a series of strategic priorities and actions which have been chosen by EBE carers. The strategy also contains an outcomes framework which will be used to measure progress.

What is co-production? What is co-production?

Co-production is when you as an individual are involved as an equal partner in designing the support and services you receive. Co-production recognises that people who use social care services (and their families) have knowledge and experience that can be used to help make services better, not only for themselves but for other people who need social care.

Think Local Act Personal (TLAP -Visit TLAP website for further information )

Why your views matter

We are now seeking everyones views on this draft strategy before it is adopted by WNC. In particular, we want to hear your views on the draft priorities and the outcome framework, and for you to let us know whether we have missed anything out.

How to give your views

Please tell us your views by completing this online questionnaire through the link below. You do not have to answer all the questions or give us feedback on every section.

Alternatively, you can email or send your comments in by post using the contact details below.

If you have any queries, comments or would like a copy of this questionnaire in another format you can contact us by email or post. Our contact details are as follows:

Email address: carerstrategyfeedback@westnorthants.gov.uk

Postal address:

Draft Carer Strategy Consultation Response
West Northamptonshire Council
The Guildhall
St Giles' Street
Northampton
NN1 1DE

The consultation will close at midnight on Thursday 30 May 2024.

For information about how consultation and engagement responses are managed, please see the consultation and engagement privacy notice. 

Thank you for helping us by completing this questionnaire.

What happens next?

We will review all feedback with the Experts by Experience (EBE) local carers and make any necessary changes. We will then adopt and publish the final Carers Strategy 2024-29 for West Northamptonshire.

Your feedback will be part of reports with other people’s feedback, so you will not be personally identified.

What happens next