Warwickshire’s unpaid carers invited to have their say and help shape the future of care and support for the county’s carers

Warwickshire County Council is holding a series of workshops for unpaid carers this September

These sessions are a valuable opportunity for the county’s unpaid carers to share their experiences, raise what matters most to them, and help influence the support that is available across Warwickshire.

These free sessions will be taking place both face-to-face (including refreshments) and virtually on the following days:

Monday 7 September, 10:00am–12:00pm – Brunswick Hub, Leamington Spa. Book your ticket: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/carers-september-workshop-leamington-spa-tickets-1996091055079

Tuesday 8 September, 10:00am–12:00pm – Stratford Town Trust Community Hub. Book your ticket:  https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/carers-september-workshop-stratford-tickets-1996091611744    

Wednesday 9 September, 10:00am–12:00pm – Virtual event. Book your ticket:           https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/carers-september-workshop-online-session-tickets-1996092043034?

Thursday 10 September, 10:00am–12:00pm – Overslade Community Centre, Rugby. Book your ticket: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/carers-september-workshop-rugby-tickets-1996092383051

Monday 14 September 10:00am–12:00pm – Hatters Space Community Centre, Nuneaton. Book your ticket: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/carers-september-workshop-nuneaton-tickets-1996092549549     

Tuesday 15 September 7:00pm–8:30pm – Virtual event. Book your ticket: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/carers-september-workshop-online-session-tickets-1996095672891     

For anyone who is unable to attend one of these events, there is a short feedback form that can be found here:  Help Us Improve the CTW Website

More information about support for carers in Warwickshire is available online: https://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/carers

New Toilet Training Campaign

Potty training your child

Potty training is an important step for you and your child.

Learning to use a potty, and then the toilet on their own takes time, practice and patience.

If you're starting potty training or you want to build your child's confidence to use the toilet on their own, the Best Start In Life page can help.

Learn more

Reduce feelings of loneliness through support, connections and wellbeing

Residents across Warwickshire are being encouraged to connect with local support, activities and services that can help them live well, stay connected and reduce feelings of loneliness.

There is a range of information, advice and community support available through Warwickshire County Council’s (WCC) Living Well webpages. These pages bring together information for those struggling with feelings of loneliness and social isolation with community support, health and wellbeing, support for carers, assistive technology and other services designed to help people stay independent and connected.  

In addition, the council is encouraging residents to explore the Five ways to Wellbeing, to improve their mental health. The five ways are: Connect, Be Active, Take Notice, Keep Learning and Give. These have been devised as part of everyday actions and can help everyone feel more positive with their health and wellbeing.  

Many of the activities and services highlighted through the Living Well web pages support these five approaches. Examples can be anything from joining a local group to connect with others, volunteering in the community, learning a new skill, getting active by getting involved with a sports club or a park walk or run, or simply taking time to appreciate the world around you. These small changes can have a lasting impact on wellbeing and helps to reduce feelings of loneliness and isolation. 

Maintaining social connections is important for everyone's health and wellbeing, but it can be particularly valuable for people living with dementia, their families and carers. Dementia Connect provides practical and emotional support and signposts carers and families to a range of additional resources, including financial assessments, guidance on welfare benefits, and help to manage the costs associated with dementia care. 

ECHO launches to provide earlier mental health support for children and young people

A mental health service for children, young people and their families called ECHO (standing for Every Child Heard and Offered support), has launched across Warwickshire

ECHO will provide earlier support and improved access to community-based mental health care. Designed to help children and young people get the right support before difficulties escalate, the service is available for young people up to the age of 18, and up to 25 for those with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP).

ECHO will support children and young people experiencing lower-level mental health and emotional wellbeing challenges, including:

  • Feeling anxious or worried

  • Struggling with stress or low mood

  • Having friendship or school difficulties

  • Finding emotions difficult to manage

  • Needing coping strategies and early support

Support available through ECHO may include counselling, advice and guidance, consultation support for parents and professionals, and signposting to other services such as bereavement support.

The service is funded by Warwickshire County Council (WCC) in partnership with NHS Coventry and Warwickshire Integrated Care Board (ICB) and is delivered by Coventry, Warwickshire and Worcestershire Mind (CWW Mind). As part of the ECHO service, CWW Mind is also working in partnership with Guardian Ballers, the Anna Freud Centre, Relationships Coventry and Warwickshire, and Lifespace Trust to give children and their families greater flexibility and choice in the support they receive.

The service launched on 3rd August, and from now it will be easier for families to access early mental health support as children, young people and their carers can easily self-refer to ECHO online or over the phone. Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust (CWPT) Children and Young People's Services – Mental Health (previously known as Rise) will continue to provide specialist mental health services for children and young people with more complex needs.

Anyone can access support from ECHO for a child or young person.

Tel: 02476 631835 (lines are open Monday to Thursday 9am to 4.30pm and Friday 9am to 4pm) or visit www.echosupport.org.uk.

For families that want to understand more about ECHO and the mental health support available for young people in Warwickshire, read the Frequently Asked Questions at www.echosupport.org.uk/faqs/.

The Herbert Protocol

Caring for vulnerable people, including those with dementia or Alzheimer's, can be challenging

There's a risk they can at some point start to 'walk about'. This may only be into the garden or street for a short time, but some people can get lost and go missing.

So planning ahead to keep them safe is really important.

The Herbert Protocol is a form that carers, family or friends of a vulnerable person, or the person themselves can fill in.

It contains a list of information to help the police if the person goes missing, including:

  • medication required

  • mobile numbers

  • places previously located

  • a recent photograph

You'll find the form at the bottom of this page.

Keeping a completed form saves the worry of trying to recall the information during the stressful time of someone going missing. It also saves time for the police, allowing the search to start sooner.

The initiative is named after George Herbert, a war veteran of the Normandy landings, who lived with dementia. He died whilst 'missing', trying to find his childhood home.

herbert protocol form

Brunswick Hub Emergency Chilled Food Parcels

The Brunswick Hub has some funding available to support households in our area with their Emergency Chilled Food parcels

These are available for a crisis situation where a family can find themselves without food or money and are shopped to dietary requirements and preferences.  The parcel typically includes Milk, Bread, Eggs, Butter, Ham, Cheese and Frozen meat or fish.

Referrals can be accepted from either member of staff at the surgery or from families themselves.

For more information, call them on 01926 422123 or pop into the hub on 98-100 Shrubland Street, Leamington Spa, CV31 3BD

MHST - Free Summer Mental Health Workshops for Children and Families

Upcoming, free Summer Mental Health Workshops for children, young people, and families.

These workshops are designed to provide practical support, promote emotional wellbeing, and equip families with strategies to manage common mental health challenges during the summer holidays.

The workshops cover topics such as:

  • 5 Ways to Wellbeing

  • Transitions (aimed for current Year 6’s moving to Secondary school)

  • Calm – a worry workshop for families

 

These workshops provide an excellent opportunity for families to access early support in a welcoming and accessible environment, helping to improve wellbeing before concerns become more significant.

New radio station to support people living with dementia

Music for Dementia has launched m4d Radio, a free online radio station designed for people living with dementia and their carers

Available 24/7 on internet-enabled devices, the advert-free station offers familiar music from the 1930s to the 1970s, with programmes tailored to support wellbeing throughout the day. 

listen here