Carers Oxfordshire is a partnership between Oxfordshire County Council’s Customer Service Centre (CSC) and Age UK Oxfordshire (AUKO) established in April 2011 to provide new, integrated information and support service for adult carers of adults in Oxfordshire.

The new service has the ambitious aim of identifying up to 45,000 of the county’s estimated 60,000 carers within three years. By identifying carers much earlier in their caring lives and ensuring they are in contact with preventive services, the service aims to reduce the likelihood of crises and carer breakdown.

Services

The new Carers Oxfordshire service aims to make it easier for carers, whatever their situation, to access information and support. The service has four elements:

• a telephone and web-based information service  - providing information about benefits and entitlements, support services, carer’s breaks, emergency back-up, employment, looking after yourself, training opportunities to support you in your caring role and much more.
• an outreach support service – providing  advice and support over the phone and face-to-face
• a network of peer support groups and
• marketing- to raise the profile of carers and caring and enable carers to identify themselves as carers.

Oxfordshire Carers’ Forum works closely alongside Carers Oxfordshire and provides:

• opportunities for carers to have their voices heard  - and acted on
• Confidence 2 Care programmes to enable carers to feel more confident in their caring roles.

Contacts

Carers Helpline: 0845 050 7666

Email: carersoxfordshire@oxfordshire.gov.uk
Website: www.carersoxfordshire.org.uk
Blog: http://carersoxonblog.wordpress.com/