Our Services
We believe the best outcomes for Carers are achieved by partnering with a range of funders, agencies, and organisations to deliver targeted support and services that improve Carer wellbeing. You can find out more about our work below.
How we can help you
We’re experienced in managing a wide range of Carer services and programmes of work, including:
- Cost effective and personalised hybrid and online Carer engagement and support
- Reducing isolation of Carers including engaging hard to reach and hidden Carers
- Carer Awareness Training including: to help Carers stay in work; frontline staff, HR and health professionals.
- Identify gaps in Carer support, including support for diverse groups through grants programmes.
- Consultation and Research including survey administration, research and consultancy.
- Statutory Carers Assessments, wellbeing grants, info and advice and guidance.
- Carer wellbeing programmes from mindfulness to yoga.
- Verify GDPR and Carer Safeguarding procedures
- Develop a Carer Friendly Awards programme in your area
- Measuring and evaluating social impact
- And much more…
Read about some of our services in action, below:
Ageing Better in Birmingham Projects (2015 – 2022)
Forward Carers partners with Ageing Better in Birmingham, a programme funded by the National Lottery Community Fund, to help older Carers feel less isolated and help them to develop connections across age-groups in the communities they live in. We’re proud to celebrate the successful conclusion of our Making Space for Carers project and Carers Voice project. We continue to deliver the Ageing Better Fund.
You can find about more about Ageing Better on this video or read the programme evaluation.
AGEING BETTER FUND. MAKING SPACE. UNSUNG HEROES
Birmingham Carers Hub
In 2015, Forward Carers launched Birmingham Carers Hub a unique new service for Carers caring for adults in in Birmingham. We designed, developed and implemented a wide-ranging carer offer as the lead partner with other not-for-profits across Birmingham. Birmingham Carers Hub is founded on partnership principles, we together to provide a range of free support and services tailored to Carers’ needs. Together, we provide our core offer includes statutory Carer Assessments, Wellbeing Budgets, Advice and Information, Carers Emergency Response Service (CERS), and Carer Training.
If you’re an unpaid Carer supporting an elderly, sick, disabled, or frail friend or family member within Birmingham, visit www.birminghamcarershub.org.uk, or get in touch with one of the friendly team:
Creating Carer Friendly Communities
We’re on a mission to create Carer Friendly Communities across England. We run a programme of activities that helps whole communities become Carer Friendly and open their eyes, hearts and services to unpaid Carers. We can work with local authority commissioners or Carer support service providers to help you make your area Carer Friendly. Get in touch to find out about block purchasing our Carer Friendly ID card, accessing Carer Friendly Workplace training, becoming a verified Carer Friendly Employer or launching annual Carer Friendly Business Awards in your area – let’s talk about how we can help you create communities that make life better for unpaid Carers.
Email carerfriendly@forwardcarers.org.uk
Consultancy and Research Services
We provide a wide range of research and consultancy services – we can advise and support organisations such as public body commissioners, providers, and employers, in the following areas: Statutory Carer’s Assessment; Outcome-focused partnerships; Case management systems; Carer quality of life tracking; Marketing including website design, digital marketing including growing online capability; Carer health facilitation, Corporate wellbeing, employer training and much more. We offer consultancy services around any aspect of becoming Carer Friendly and can help you improve outcomes for Carers.
We can support your research design, development and implementation and have access to widespread Carer and Carer service provider networks. Recent research activities include working in partnership with LSE to evaluate the impact of caring, and the University of Birmingham to understand Carer experiences.
Get in touch to find out how we can help you achieve your goals, contact carerfriendly@forwardcarers.org.uk.
Employer Training
We can help you become Carer Friendly and support your staff, colleagues, customers, and clients who are providing support for a loved one. We’ll work with you to make simple changes that will make life better for Carers, we’ll provide you with branding and recognition to show you’re part of the Carer Friendly Community and together we’ll make life better for Carers.
Grants and Carer Projects
On behalf of Commissioners, we administer a grants programme to commission innovative new Carer Projects across Birmingham as a strategic response to address gaps in support for Carers with diverse needs and those in specific caring roles, so every Carer can access the support they need. Our new projects include specialist support for Dementia Carers, Young Adult Carers, Carers of people with a substance issue, Working Carers, Parent Carers, and Carers from Black and Minority Ethnic backgrounds.
You can read about the projects we have commissioned here
Home from Hospital Sandwell
Home from Hospital Sandwell was a partnership between Forward Carers and Home from Hospital Care, it ran from January 2019 to January 2021, helping residents and their Carers get back on their feet after a stay in hospital and to recover their health and independence at home. We provided a range of services from befriending, shopping, and arranging medical appointments to helping them return to their favourite hobbies and activities.
Online Support for Carers
We believe a Carer Friendly Community is one that provides support and services in ways and at times that fit into Carers’ busy lives, so Carers feel engaged and empowered at whichever stage they are in life. That’s why we’ve been getting Carers connected online since 2018.
We run popular, wellbeing sessions and group support including our Digital Inclusion programme and we deliver online training events and Conferences for Carers and professionals, including Digital Inclusion training in partnership.
If you are a Carer looking for support, an organisation wishing to partner or you would like to find out more about our Online Support for Carers
Volunteering Opportunities
We offer a wide range of volunteering opportunities for current and former Carers, supporters, and businesses. Find out more here or contact us on CarerFriendly@forwardcarers.org.uk
Walsall Carers Hub
In 2022, Forward Carers, in partnership with Midland Mencap, designed, developed and launched Walsall Carers Hub, a new service for Carers caring for adults in Walsall, funded by Walsall Council. Together we provide a range of free support and services tailored to Carers’ needs. Our core offer includes Carer Wellbeing Assessments, Advice and Information, Carer Groups and Training, Welfare Entitlement Checks and more.
If you’re an unpaid Carer supporting an elderly, sick, disabled, or frail friend or family member within Walsall, visit www.walsallcarershub.org.uk, or get in touch with one of the friendly team on 01922 616 798 or email info@walsallcarershub.org.uk
