Your carer journey
The caring journey can often seem like a rollercoaster ride. Sometimes things are going well and are manageable and then at other times it feels completely overwhelming.
Barnet Carers are here to support you on your journey and enable you to thrive in the life that you live.
To help do this, we follow a friendly and collaborative process so that we can work with you to get you to the best possible place in your life.
We think that it is important for you to know about how we can support you and also where we might need to enlist the help and support of other organisations or people.
The “roadmap” below shows, in simple terms, the way in which we hope to work with you. If you book a Carers Assessment or an introductory call from one of our support staff, they will be able to talk you through and discuss the process.
We hope that you find this information useful. Please contact us if we can be of support.
“Barnet Carers have been great. They were very clear from the beginning about how they could help and support me and that has been a real help. They have also directed me to other organisations in the borough and that has been a great help. I always know that I can turn to them if something new comes up.”
The Carers Journey – your roadmap of support
Your journey starts here.
The first stageis identifying a carer. Whether that be self-identifying, or a family/ friend or otherservice sending you our way. Your needscount to us and you could be eligible toaccess a range of services and entitlementsto support you in your caring role.
Getting to know your situation
Access to a Carers Needs Assessment, self-assessment or registration allows us to look at all aspects of your current position, and the support you may require. This includesassessing your caring responsibilities,wellbeing, current support network andyour financial/ environmental situation.
A support plan tailored to you. Our team will co-work with you to determine your level of need and identify what level of support you require. We will then create a tailored plan to address your needs- such as through practical solutions, training, development opportunities, access to specialist services and wellbeing support.
Helping you to achieve desired outcomes.
We understand the challenges of being a carer, however we want to support you with finding balance with your own needs and your caringrole. We will offer regular reviews and check-in’s at different intervals dependent on your needs, and will continually review your support plan to ensure you are making positive progress and a long-term positive impact to your life.
Our mission is to
“enable carers to thrive”.
Therefore we hope to provide relevant guidance, knowledge and opportunity for you to feel empowered to self-manage your caring role and wellbeing long-term. If you find yourself needing us less – this is a sign of positive progress! However, you can feel reassured that we will be available to help if your situation changes and you require further support.
How we can help you
Apply for a Grant
We work with specialist organisations across Barnet and nationwide. We want you to get the best possible support. But we don’t just refer and forget – you can be assured of our help all along the way.
Support of our Adult Carers Team
Our staff team is available 5 days a week to help support you. They have been working with carers like you for many years and have a great deal of experience. They can also offer you regular calls and a Carers Assessment.
Access to our activities and groups
Caring can feel very lonely. We run a number of groups for you to join. Some are purely social. Others provide skills and activities such as mindfulness and yoga. Keep an eye on our events calendar.
The Carers Star
Triangle – The Carers Outcomes Star
Barnet Carers uses a support process called the Outcomes Star. Very simply, this allows us to get a snapshot of your life and caring role across a number of areas – such as your health, the support you currently receive and your finances – so that we can identify together the areas in which you might need support and so we can do what we can to enable you to improve your situation. Our goal is to enable you to thrive in your caring role. When you speak to one of our support staff, they will discuss with you whether the Outcomes Star is the right process for you or whether another way of supporting you is more appropriate. You can find more information on the Outcomes Star below.
The Outcomes Star was developed to help you, as a carer, to optimise the quality of your life and wellbeing and to help you continue to be effective in your caring role for as long as it remains the right thing for you. The process recognises that caring is often difficult and that it can often take some time to get the balance right.
Through using the Star we hope that we can work collaboratively with you to get a picture of what improvement might look like and then work together to achieve that.
Our staff have been fully trained in the use of the Star and we feel that it provides a good foundation for working with you to get the best possible outcomes.
Need advice about your caring role?
Caring can become overwhelming sometimes. If you feel like you need more information, advice or support in your caring role, you can book a Carer’s Assessment to talk to an Adult Carers Coordinator.