Firstly I would like to thank everybody who took the time to complete our short survey at the end of 2023. We shared the survey with the aim of gathering feedback from carers and professionals to aid our understanding of the value of We Care You Care, so your views can be incorporated into shaping our development plans for the year ahead.
If you missed the survey do not worry you can share your feedback with us at any time by emailing hello@wecareyoucare.info
Who completed the survey?
27 individuals completed the survey including one young adult carer, 15 carers (18+), four NHS staff, four Voluntary and Community Sector staff and two employees from the Local Authorities (one person skipped question).
The number of respondents is small however we have gathered a range of responses which can give us a good indication of how effective our work is.
Local Authority area
We asked which Local Authority area participants resided in (carers) or are employed in (professionals). This information shows us that carers and professionals from both targeted local authority areas engaged in the survey which provides an oversight as to how the resources are viewed across the South Tees area.
Responses showed the following:
- 16 people in Middlesbrough
- 11 people in Redcar and Cleveland
- 1 person in Stockton-on-Tees
- 1 person skipped question.
Engaging with We Care You Care
The chart (above) shows how people came to learn of We Care You Care. The majority of survey respondents had learnt of the service by word of mouth, from engaging with the Project Lead at a community event or by the Local Voluntary and Community Sector. This information shows where strengths lie in our promotion and where efforts need to be focussed for the year ahead. The results show that it is important that we continue to be present at community events and activities as it supports engagement. The chart also suggests that more efforts need to be made to engage Social Services to utilise our resources.
- Word of mouth (9)
- Event/ Activity Meeting Project Lead (6)
- Local Voluntary Sector Organisations (5)
- Other (5) includes; Facebook, NHS internal email, Redcar and Cleveland Short Breaks Team and through Job Role.
- Social Prescriber (2)
- GP Surgery (2)
- Hospital Service (2)
- Community Hub/ Centre (1)
- Social Worker (0)
It is also great to see that our strengthened efforts (in collaboration with Teesside Mind) to promote our service with healthcare professionals in GP Surgeries, hospital and community services is making a difference by connecting people to our resources.
Using We Care You Care resources
Effectiveness
Quality of content
We asked how you would rate the quality of the content you have engaged with whether that be through social media, reading website articles, resources, carers guide, e-bulletins etc. 26 of the 27 respondents completed the question and provided an average rating of 4.2 out of 5 for the quality of our content. A further breakdown of this shows that 13 people rated the quality of content as 'excellent', 11 rated it 'good', 2 rated it average. Nobody rated the content as being 'poor' or 'very poor'. It is reassuring to learn that the vast majority of respondents value our quality control measures, ensuring the information we provide is to a high standard.
Accessibility
The majority of respondents (24) shared that they find the information we present easy to understand and two shared that they did not. We are passionate about presenting our resources in accessible formats so they can be utilised be everyone, however we recognise we do not always get this right. We are already looking into ways of presenting our information and resources in a range of formats, such as videos with BSL overlay. We will be working on improving the range of resources and access this year.
Signposting and referrals
A key aspect of our work is showcasing the range of local carers support from services such as Carers Together, Teesside Mind, The Junction Foundation and much more. We share contact details, links to services, information about activities etc with the aim of encouraging carers and professionals to connect or signpost to. The chart tells us that more than 50% of respondents have connected to provision which is fantastic.
Other- where people have answered 'other' they have provided the following explanation:
- “Get support already but been good to know what options there are. Found out lots of useful stuff about my rights, finances, holidays and know I’m not alone.”
- “Referred carers to services.”
- “Not sure.”
- "Didn’t need to, just wanted some information in case things change.”
Your views
The final section of the survey encouraged respondents to share comments and feedback. We received 17 responses to this, which provide us with further insight into what people think of the service, shared below:
"A brilliant service that pulls together all the local resources for carers into one, easily accessible platform."
"I didn't no I was carer till I looked at the site, I watched the video and realised that was me. I care for my husband and have for about 10 years. I contacted social services and got a care assessment and we get support now. Thank you."
"Understanding and very polite staff."
"A brilliant service and resource - very helpful and informative for carers and professionals."
"Enjoy reading about what is going on."
"Helpful information thanks."
"I work collaboratively with the Project Lead from We Care You Care and the project is excellent at engaging unpaid carers and professionals in health and social care for e.g. proactive campaigns, inclusive approach to unpaid carers of all ages, responsive to both local and national issues. The WCYC website is the Gold Standard and an excellent resource for information, case studies and signposting. Widely used and promoted across South Tees."
"Good to no who can help me and my family."
"Have found the information very helpful."
"Lots of good info, more carers stories and videos would be good."
"Very pleased with the content, energy savings helpful."
"Very informative."
"Excellent website, bulletin is a fantastic resource that has really supported my role as a Social Worker."
"I had not heard of yourself and your services until a friend mentioned you."
"Regular e-bulletins are a useful reminder to share information about the service with patients/carers."
"Brilliant service that I tell family and friends about who need support."
"WCYC website is a fantastic platform for accessing information for carers and for signposting. It is easy to navigate and to find the required information and links to other types of support. Very comprehensive and always up to date which is really important particularly for any carers in crisis."
A big thank you again to everybody who took the time to share their opinions, although the response rate was relatively low it has been great to to take a step back and reflect on where we can strengthen the accessibility of our content and how the service is largely perceived positively. Please do contact us if you want to share your feedback or ideas for improvement by emailing hello@wecareyoucare.info
