Decision details

The purpose of this report is to seek approval of the Young carer, parent and adult carer strategy

A carer is someone of any age who provides unpaid support to family or friends to enable them to cope and carry on with their day to day life as they could not manage without this help.

Crucial for the successful delivery of this strategy, is a mind-set change by everyone so that there is a better understanding of what caring means and the impact that it has on the carer’s life.

The Young Carers, Parent and Adult Carer Strategy is agreed and implemented.

The Young Carers, Parent and Adult Carers Strategy has been co-produced with a wide range of people; carers, carer support groups and organisations, local voluntary community organisations and agencies. 

The Strategy will provide guiding principles and a high level action plan to improve the lives of Sheffield’s carers to continue to care for as long as they wish to.

The Strategy will enable the Authority to comply with a new statutory duty as set out in section 10 of the Care Act 2014.

The alternative option would be not to have a strategy for carers.  This is not a viable alternative as it would result in a breach of a statutory duty, and has been outlined in the strategy and this report; it is legally, morally, socially and economically important for Sheffield to continue to support its carers.

Carers are identified in the Council’s Corporate Plan 2015-2018: provide direct support to more carers than ever before.