I’m a parent carer


I’m a parent carer, what support can I get?

You may need help in getting the extra support you are entitled to. Many people are scared of asking for help, but as a charity with a wealth of experience, we are here to support you and your family.  You may be concerned that services might try to interfere or that your role as a parent is undermined. Getting help can feel like a risk, but it’s not – it might be the only way to make life easier for you and your family.

You can contact our service confidentially via phone or email. Following an initial discussion, if we think you and your family may benefit from another service, we will ask your permission before giving your details to a third party, in line with Wigan Children’s Safeguarding Board code of practice, and current information sharing legislation.

Further help from external organisations

Contact 

Parent carers shouldn’t have to navigate the complicated SEND system by themselves. That’s what Contact’s Helpful Guide is there for!
Their 92-page booklet has all the advice and information you’ll need about accessing support for your family — from your child’s early years through to their adulthood transition.

It’s highly recommended by hundreds of UK families and it’s 100% free… so what are you waiting for?  Order your copy today

Helpline

Contact also run a free helpline for parents and carers with a disabled child aged from birth to 25, living in any part of the UK. Your child does not need a diagnosis for you to call their helpline.

Tel: 0808 808 3555

 

Wigan Council Local Offer

There is also lots of information for parent carers at Wigan Council’s local offer pages that could be helpful for parent carers too:

I’m a Parent (wigan.gov.uk)

 

What we can offer

Access to the Young Carers service is via a Young Carers Assessment.  Our what we do page outlines a little more of the kinds of support we provide.

What help can I get for myself?

First of all, we recognise that having a caring role is a complex part of family life and you may not even realise that your child is a young carer. Being a young carer can have many positive effects on a child (e.g. maturity, conscientiousness, time management, practical and emotional skills), but at the same time, there is a lot of evidence to suggest that childhood is adversely affected by caring responsibilities.

So, you may need help in getting the extra support that you are entitled to. Many people are scared of asking for help, but as a charity with a wealth of experience, we are here to support you and your family. You may be concerned that services might try to interfere or that your role as a parent is undermined. Getting help can feel like a risk, but it’s not – it might be the only way to make life easier for you and your family.

You can contact our service via phone or email, in a confidential manner. Following our initial discussion with you, if we think you and your family may benefit from another service, we will ask your permission before giving your details to a third party, in line with Wigan Children’s Safeguarding Board code of practice, and current information sharing legislation.

If you have a disability, illness or substance misuse problem, you may benefit from an assessment of your own needs from a social worker or health professional.  This is a way of working out what you and your family need to stay healthy and happy. During an assessment, a social worker will talk to you in private about how your health affects your daily living and what help you need from different services. As your child/children are part of your care network, they may also be asked for their input too. This will help get the full picture of support needed and will also give your young carer the recognition they deserve. For more information on assessments contact www.wigan.gov.uk.