Building a Carer Friendly North Lincolnshire
On this page
- Lead Organisation
North Lincolnshire Council
- Project contact
Teresa Bainbridge
teresa.bainbridge@northlincs.gov.uk
Mob: 07894714378
In May 2023, our Carer Strategy Partners took a system-wide approach to improving the identification and recognition of Carers in North Lincolnshire. This was initiated through the “Carer Friendly North Lincolnshire” campaign which delivered a wide communications campaign to raise awareness of Carers.
To achieve this, we identified key messages and branding which aligned to our universal and targeted offer with imagery which takes an inclusive approach recognising that Carers, often focusing on the relationship they have with the person they care for.
Promotions were placed on bin lorries, parking tickets, digital screens and bookmarks, this campaign was designed to positively challenge preconceptions and to encourage identification by Carers, recognition by others and encourage access to our universal offer. The longevity of the promotions is ongoing with bin lorries and parking tickets continuing six months later to travel throughout the county, making Carers Support a recognisable brand. As a result of the Care Friendly North Lincolnshire initiative, we have seen a 37% increase in referrals to our universal offer. 100% of the Carers who drew on the offer said they felt supported, with 98% feeling that the support has enabled them to remain independent.
To further enhance the Carer Friendly North Lincolnshire Campaign, we have developed a “North Lincolnshire Guide to Supporting Carers” which will be initially shared with primary care settings like GPs to promote identification and recognition, and then adapted to meet the needs of secondary care and other partner settings including community hubs.
- Project duration
This has been a 9-month campaign so far but will be built upon with the clear branding to deliver key messages and promotions through other channels during 2024.
- Key beneficiaries
Unpaid carers in North Lincolnshire
Building a Carer Friendly North Lincolnshire
Why we started this initiative
We recognised that the key to early intervention/prevention is to connect carers to support services as early as possible, the barrier to this was often that Carers did not identify themselves as a Carer.
We delivered a communication campaign encouraging Carers to recognise their caring role whilst promoting wider awareness with the public. Through the campaign, we have seen an increase in organisations accessing carer awareness training and shaping their support for Carer.
Our goals
• Create a Carer friendly culture in North Lincolnshire, which will help improve Carer confidence.
• Promote positive use of the word Carer
• Carers are supported and encouraged to identify themselves as Carers.
• Improved recognition of Carers in key settings.
• Encourage more conversations about caring within a wide range of communities.
• Support for Carers becomes everybody’s business; partners, VCS organisations and businesses are encouraged to recognise Carers and support their needs.
How we’re implementing it
Implementation has happened across North Lincolnshire through promotions happening on the bin lorries which go throughout the county, parking tickets in all Council car parks in North Lincolnshire and bookmarks being distributed throughout our five community hubs.
To complement this, we worked alongside carers to develop and deliver the “North Lincolnshire Guide to Supporting Carers” which is being rolled out within primary health care settings.
Alongside this, within North Lincolnshire Council HR department we have created a Carer Support Plan which promotes supporting carers in the workplace.
- Whilst it is important to reinforce the word Carer, to empower people to use it and ensure it has positive connotations, this can be a barrier to identification as people do not always associate themselves with the word.
- A broad approach to multiple places where the message can be reinforced has seen a positive impact on the number of Carers identifying over the last six months.
- Tools which are kept by people offer a repeated and better value message, this has worked well with the parking tickets and the bookmarks.
- Bookmarks are a simple yet affective tool for getting messages and resources into the community- we have seen high demand and will roll them out more widely to reach a greater number of carers.
- To effect culture around identification we need to ensure consistent messages can reach multiple audiences at the same time.
- Culture change is more effective in encouraging conversations about caring, which in turn encourages people to identify as a Carer or recognise those within their networks as Carers.
As a result of these promotions there have been several benefits including:
• More Carers are connected to support, – we have seen a 37% increase in carer registrations to our universal support offer.
• Carers Support is happening at the right time – Carers are identifying in the earlier stages in their caring journey with 99% feeling they are getting the right support at the right time.
• Feedback of support for Carers is very positive; 98% feel listened to and 95% feel the support they receive is good or excellent.
• Through supporting Carers earlier we are preventing the need for more specialist support and interventions.
• Our Carers Strategy Partnership has seen an increase in membership through the work undertaken over the last six months, with more actively engaged partners shaping their services to better support Carers.
• Increased partner awareness through engagement and discussions.