ABOUT/AMDANO
What we do

Powys Carers Service is a county-wide organisation working to provide an equitable and accessible service for carers across Powys. Working in partnership with both Social Services and the Local Health Board, our aim is to identify carers in the community, to offer them support and to put them in touch with other local agencies and services that may be able to help. Through our networking connections, both on a local and on a national level, we are working towards raising the profile of carers and the issues that affect them, whilst incorporating consultation with carers to ensure that the service becomes and continues to be service user led.

As a service we work with both adult carers and young carers, providing an outresch service in South, Mid and North Powys. Our outreach staff can offer guidance and support around accessing local services, provide valuable information about carers' rights and carers' benefits, advice on the carers special grant and its uses, advice and information on locally based support agencies, support groups and social activities/breaks for carers. We also offer emotional support, through one to one visits and regular phone calls. We are looking to expand these services over the next twelve months, as well as holding regular consultation events with carers to ensure that further development of the service is carer led.

A carer is someone who cares for or helps to care for someone who is ill, disabled or has mental health problems. This includes physical and mental disabilities, drug and alcohol related illnesses and long term illnesses. There are many people in this situation that may feel they need extra support and this is where Powys Carers Service can help you. Powys Carers Service recognises the problems that carers face and the need for the family to feel supported and to be able to talk about their needs and concerns in a safe environment. Our outreach workers have the skills and the ability to help talk through with their carers their needs and work in partnership with them to start developing the support framework they want.

There are an estimated 350,000 adult carers in Wales and this figure does not include a breakdown of the total number of young carers. Out of a population of 126,000, the 2001 census estimated that Powys had over 14,000 carers. Again this figure does not include young carers, often overlooked by statistics, but just as important. We have as a county, a similar total population number to the Vale of Glamorgan in South Wales and they have 10,000 carers recorded. Add our larger numbers to the problems of rural isolation and transport infrastructure and you can see the importance of having a service such as Powys Carers.

We currently support around 1000 carers, including young carers, and we are working towards identifying and supporting more. It is our wish as an organisation, with additional and secured funding in the future, to be able to increase the current service available to help match the growing need.