Carers Champions

A Carer Champion is a volunteer member of staff who acts as a key contact for Carer information in the department where they work. The Carers Champions are a network of staff members located around our service departments who are leading on Carers issues. Many teams have a designated Carer Champion, who is the link to gather Carer information to cascade to their team and to also share with Carers.

We have Carers Champions in:

• Social Care Teams
• Leisure Centres
• One4All Centres
• Communities First
• Welfare Rights Team
• Colleges
• Fifty Plus Fora
• Housing Departments
• Job Centres
• Schools
• Children’s Services
• Home Care Service
• Day Centres

The duties of a Carers Champion include:

• Identify & encourage staff in the team to complete the Carer Awareness training package available to all staff.
• Act as a channel for cascading information on the subject of Carers within the work area.
• Promote awareness of the role of Carers.
• Display and maintain supplies of Carers leaflets and posters in the work area.
• Champion and raise awareness of Carers’ issues.
• Highlight developments relevant to supporting Carers within the team.
• Encourage Carers to register as a Carer and sign post to the Carers Support Project.
• Attend Carer Champion training
• Distribute the Carers Champion E-bulletins to brief colleagues.
• To act as a link for the Carers Measure Coordinator.

A Carers Champion is not expected to be an expert on ‘Carers issues’ or provide Carers with one-to-one support. Carers Champions are also identified with NHS departments including GP Practices, hospital wards and pharmacies.