Devon Rural Carers Project

Carers are people of any age – children, family, friends, neighbours – who help to look after other people because of illness, frailty or disability. Carers are unpaid. In Devon, the 2001 census identified approximately 73,000 carers providing substantial levels of care, 15,000 of whom provide more than 50 hours of support per week. Without this support the health and social care system in Devon would collapse overnight.

Devon offers a wide range of services to support carers. However, it has been recognised that there is a deficit in support to carers in rural areas, in what otherwise is a well regarded network of services. Jo Pickering joined Teignbridge CVS team in June 2006 to carry out a 2 year action research project to support carers in rural areas. The project, funded by the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, aims to involve more rural carers in support services and to improve on delivering these services in rural areas. The research phase of the project has now been completed. Research focused on the needs of rural carers and how we can improve support to carers who live in rural areas of Devon. Projects have been formulated using the research and are to be taken forward in the next 6-8 months. Projects include marketing and awareness raising of carer support networks, telephone, online and informal support groups, getting carers back into work through training and promotion of rural community transport.

If you would like a copy of the Executive Summary or detailed Papers on the research or a summary of proposed projects then please contact Jo Pickering on 01626 203050 or ruralcarers@teigncvs.org.uk .