ConorхЪvisited St Helens Carers Centre to meet the Chair Jane Dearden and Chief Executive Alan Ashton and hear about the work of St Helens carers.
The Centre aims to be a one-stop-shop for Carers, where they can get support, information, advice and access services. Conor spoke with Jane and Alan about the challenges faced by carers, the support they need and the help the carers centre provides.
Established in 2001 the carers centre supports over 10,500 adult carers and over 500 young carers, which represents a little under 50% of all carers in the borough, making St Helens Carers Centre one of the most successful in the country.
However, this success brings its own challenges and St Helens carers are working hard with the council to find ways, with ever tightening budgets, to meet the needs of local carers.
Speaking after the visit, Conor said:
“Carers across St Helens make a vital contribution to the people they care for, to our local communities and to our economy, and they in turn receive excellent support from the St Helens Carers Centre.
“They do a difficult job in very difficult circumstances, indeed the system would completely collapse without them. Carers should receive proper support and funding from Government.хЪ
“However, under the Tories funding for adult social care was been slashed by over хЃ4.5billion from 2010-2015. As a result our care system is under a huge strain and on the brink of collapse.
“I urge the Government to act now to ensure that funding is in place so that carers receive the support they deserve.”