Our Dorset Carers Collaboration – Practical Skills and Learning Opportunities for Carers
On this page
- Lead Organisation
Dorset Council on behalf of Dorset Carers Partnership Group
- Project contact
Amanda Dunning, Commissioning Officer, Dorset Council amanda.dunning@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk
- About ‘Our Dorset Collaboration’
The Our Dorset Carers Collaboration represents our partnership working across the ICS, and the joined up approach that underpins these projects. These projects were worked on jointly within the Dorset Carers Partnership Group (DCPG). The DCPG brings together key partners in health, social care and VCSE sectors working with carers across the Dorset-wide footprint. We come together to network, raise awareness of carer support, discuss areas of challenge, and work in collaboration for the benefit of carers on a range of projects in line with the Pan Dorset Carers Strategy priorities.
The Dorset Carer Partnership Group (DCPG) worked together to coproduce a useful and effective booklet to showcase the training offer for Carers in Dorset Council area and Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council area.
The Dorset Carer Partnership Group (DCPG) created a Pan-Dorset task and finish group led by Dorset Council to deliver outcomes against the Council’s Adult Carers Strategies and the Pan-Dorset Carer Steering Group (PDCSG) Vision objectives.
The task and finish group met on a regular monthly basis which comprised of two Carers, both Council’s, commissioned services, and voluntary and community sector stakeholders.
The draft version of the booklet was shared with the Dorset Carer Partnership Group, Pan-Dorset Carer Steering Group and stakeholders for feedback prior to being approved for publishing. The booklet, written by Carers for Carers, has been published and circulated across the Carer system network. There is also an easy read version for those who need it and can be printed upon request.
- Partners
Dorset Carer Partnership Group members (Pan-Dorset approach), BCP Council, 2 Carers – one from each Council area.
- Project duration
From start to finish the project took approximately 7 months to complete. The finished booklet is now available.
- Key beneficiaries
Carers in Dorset and Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole
Our Dorset Carers Collaboration – Practical Skills and Learning Opportunities for Carers
Why we started this initiative
Dorset Carer Partnership Group identified that there is a reasonable training and well-being offer across Dorset, however information about what was available was spread across a number of websites and with various providers. It was agreed that a booklet would draw Carers attention to the diverse training and skills that are available one place of reference.
Our goals
To address the barriers posed that may prevent Carers from accessing support.
To provide a booklet for Carers about training and skills for wellbeing, to include:
• Practical and vocational training
• Training to aid caring roles
• Training for conditions of the Carer or cared for person
• Personal development and wellbeing
How we’re implementing it
Co-production requires sufficient time investment, and is well worth the effort to achieve the best result.
Recommendations:
• Be clear about the task at the beginning and chair the meetings with clarity, in plain language and without jargon.
• Provide additional support to Carers or people without experience of our systems if required (such as Microsoft Teams).
• During project planning, ensure enough time is allocated to allow time for additional meetings/conversations
and support to members of the group.
• Set up additional points of contact with Carers to talk through with them any questions or concerns they have about the project.
• Build a review into the project timeline to check the work is still relevant.
• Planning is essential. Think in advance about a communications plan, a timeline for your project and be specific around its scope.
• If you are not an expert in an area, find someone who is and shares the same goals. For example this work could not have been achieve without the SystmOne specialist and their willingness to get heavily involved in the project. This can be achieved through buy in at the more senior levels.
• Make sure promotion is clear, timely and consistent. Encouraging change within primary care settings takes time and reiteration. It is a service with many competing demands and priorities, and often a high rate of staff changes. Therefore, it is important to engage with these services in a way that is supportive and brings them along the journey with you.
• Think about how you will gather your ‘evidence of impact’. We can see changes in the coding data that without our role and our regular contact with GPs and carers leads, we could not be confident is due to the use of the template.
A region without a Carers Engagement Facilitator type role would need to be mindful of this if they were to develop their own local carers template.
I was pleased to be involved in putting together the Practical Skills and Resources booklet – as a Carer, I felt my ideas and opinions were included during the planning and launching of this very useful resource that will enable Carers to consider ways to enhance their skills and enjoy life alongside their Carer responsibilities.
Carer