Parent Carers
Parent carers are parents of children and young persons under 25 who provide care, assistance or support to another child or young person who is disabled, physically or mentally ill, or has a substance misuse problem. Parent carers can also be any adult who has the legal responsibility for a child or young person or a foster parent.
They carry out, often on a regular basis, significant or substantial caring tasks which are more than parents would usually expect to do for a similar aged child without additional needs.
Some of the ways parent carers care for someone are:
- Helping them to get up, get washed or dressed, or helping with toileting when children of a similar age would be able to do this for themselves
- Doing lots of the extra household chores like washing bedding because a child is still not dry at night.
- Needing to keep a child close when near to roads as they would not be safe – when children of the same of age would be able to understand the risk and keep themselves safe.
- Managing behaviour which other children of a similar age would by now be able to manage for themselves.
Support for parent carers
Pinpoint Cambridgeshire is run for parents – by parents. They give help and information to parent carers of children and young people aged 0-25 with additional needs and disabilities, and give parent carers opportunities to have a say and get involved in improving local services. Follow this link to see the training and support that Pinpoint offer for parent carers
Family Voice are a local registered charity who are actively seeking to improve services in all areas of the lives of children and young people with disabilities or additional needs. Family Voice are here for Parents and Carers of children and young people aged 0—25 years with a disability or additional needs. Family Voice aim to work together with professionals and parents so that the services for our children and young people meet their needs. Putting parent carers and their children at the centre and helping them to be heard.
Little Miracles are a multi award winning parent led support group and Charity for families with children from birth to 25 that have additional needs, disabilities and life limiting conditions, their carers and siblings. Little Miracles support families within the Eastern Region via - Support including counselling, occupational therapy, benefits advice and emotional support - Activities including social sessions, youth clubs, after school groups, sports clubs, holiday clubs etc - Training for both the parents/carers and young people.
Keep your head provides a range of information and websites on different organisations supporting mental health across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.
Having problems with your child's toileting this site provides information for parents who have concerns about their child's toileting.
Having concerns about your child's sleeping this site provides information for parents who have concerns about their child's sleeping
Having concerns with your child's eating this site provides information for parents who have concerns about their child's eating
Nessie provides information and training to support parents to support positive mental health for their children.
Caring Together offer support for parent carers. The link to their main events page is Events - Caring Together .
This May Help The website gives easy-to-follow advice to help families manage their child’s mental health. This advice was developed by NHS professionals and parents who’ve been through their own child’s mental health journey. Parents and carers have shared advice that helped them and that may also help other families.
Contact a Family For families with disabled children. Offers information on specific conditions and rare disorders
Cambridgeshire Children and Families Services on offer for children and families living in Cambridgeshire
SEND Information Hub provides information about services and support in Peterborough for families of children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities
Peterborough City Council children and families for information about resources for families or you can search families in the search box.
Parent Carer Transitional Plans
Parent Carer Transitional Plans
The time when a young person is preparing for adulthood can be particularly difficult for
parent carers. We recognise that this stage of their child’s life also brings about change for
the parent themselves as they adjust from one system of support to another as well as
changes around things such as education and housing.
Caring Together have worked with parent carers and partners, including Pinpoint Cambridgeshire and Family Voice Peterborough, to develop support for parents who are at this stage, we are now able to offer a parent carer transition plan to parent carers in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.
This is a conversation about your own needs as a parent carer - how you are feeling, changes that lie ahead for you and what support is available to you in caring for an adult. This is an opportunity for you to reflect on your own needs and take time to think about you and your own future. We will also ensure you are linked in with the appropriate support services
available for their child, as they approach adulthood.
If you would like further information on how a parent carer transition plan could help your
family or to make a referral, please telephone our helpline on 01480 499090 or email
hello@caringtogether.org.
Training and support for parent carers
Family Voice and Pinpoint offer a schedule of training for parent carers . you find out about specific events by following these links Family voice and Pinpoint
As a patient, relative or carer using our services, sometimes you may need to turn to someone for help, advice, and support.