Boost to online support for unpaid carers
More than 3,000 unpaid carers have been identified across Dudley borough in a pilot project designed to boost the support they receive.
For the last two months, Dudley Council has been working with Mobilise, a digital platform for carers.
The council’s aim was to increase engagement with all unpaid carers and make sure they are getting the support they need.
Using the digital platform, alongside existing council services, such as the Dudley Carers Hub, the council has been able to identify more than 3,000 unpaid carers in the borough so far.
Mobilise has carried out engagement work through social media and one-to-one phone calls and has found there is a clear appetite for online support to help people in their caring role.
The Mobilise platform has been used to offer advice on emergency planning, carers allowance, respite and much more.
It’s also been used to effectively engage with groups such as male and working age carers who may not have previously engaged with support services.
Councillor Nicolas Barlow, cabinet member for health and adult social care, said:
Unpaid carers are the unsung heroes in our communities. They give their all to caring for their loved one or friend.
We want to make sure they feel supported and have the information they need that can help them in their caring role.
What’s been interesting about this project with Mobilise is that many carers do just want to access simple information online and so we can use this feedback to improve and expand the information we have available.
It means services such as Dudley Carers Hub can focus on supporting those carers who need more complex support.
The pilot continues to run through April and the council is looking at its future plans to offer a digital service for carers.