How Do Local Authorities Help Us?

Over the years we have met many people looking after family and friends across the South Tees area who do not know how their Local Authority provide support. So, here is a brief overview to give you a better understanding of how both Middlesbrough Council and Redcar and Cleveland Council fulfil their duty of care to South Tees Carers.

Carers Assessments

It is a carers right to have a Carers Assessment (if they wish) from the Local Authority. The Carer Assessment is simply a chat to find out what needs you may have as a carer and what support may be available for you. The person you care for does not need to be receiving help from Social Care in order for you to have a Carers Assessment. The time it takes to carry out your assessment will depend on the urgency of your situation. The Carer Assessment is a supported process and your views and opinions will be considered throughout the assessment, which is aimed to be completed within 28 days.

Getting an Assessment:

Note: If the person you care for lives in a different Local Authority Area from you, you will need to contact their Local Authority. 

Support Plans

This is a plan that shows how your needs identified in your Carer Assessment will be met. This will be reviewed annually to make sure your needs are still being met. The review can be online, over the phone, at a meeting place away from home or at your own home. 

Young Carers Assessments (under 18’s)

Where a young carer’s eligible needs are identified as requiring support, local councils have a duty to provide support directly to the young carer or demonstrate that the cared-for person's assessment has provided adequate care and support to prevent inappropriate care from being required from the young carer.

The Junction Foundation provide these assessments on behalf of the Local Authority call 01642 756000 for more information. 

Commissioning Carers Services

We have some fantastic organisations across the South Tees that deliver carers specific services. Some of these are made available through funding from both Middlesbrough Council and Redcar and Cleveland Council. They pay for the following services which you can access for free:

  • Carer’s Togethers Adult Carers Information Support Service: Carers Together offer a wide range of services, information, advice and support for carers across the South Tees area. Find out more.
  • The Junction Foundation's Young Carers Information and Support Service offers a range of support to Young Carers, Families and Young Adult Carers across South Tees. Find out more. 
  • Teesside Mind’s Emotional Wellbeing Support Service for carers across the South Tees. Find out more.
  • Teesside Mind’s Primary Care Outreach Service aims to work with Primary Care Networks across the South Tees area, to encourage professionals to improve identification of Carers and provide appropriate support and signposting.  

Telephone: 01642 488977 Email: info@carerstogether-rc.org.uk 

Visit their; websiteFacebook and Twitter page for the latest information, activities and events. You can register with Carers Together online here.

Telephone: 01642 756000 Email: info@thejunctionfoundation.com 

Visit their; websiteFacebook and Twitter page for the latest information, activities and events.

Telephone: 01642 257020  Email: carers@teessidemind.org.uk

Visit their; website or Facebook for the latest information, activities and events.

Complete an online referral form for Mind Teesside

Information and Resources

Both local authorities in the South Tees fund We Care You Care. We aim to raise awareness of unpaid care locally, increase identification of carers, showcase the range of support, inform carers of their rights, and improve recognition and value of unpaid care in our area. We do this through our communications and campaigns project, the hub of which is our website- www.wecareyoucare.info however, we do produce a range of hard copy materials which are made available in the community for those that do not use online resources. 

As highlighted at the start this is just a brief overview of the core offer for carers from our Local Authorities. We hope this has been useful in shining a light on how Middlesbrough Council and Redcar and Cleveland Council fulfil some of their legal duties under the Care Act 2014.