About Lanarkshire Carers

Lanarkshire Carers is a resource for carers across Lanarkshire to access information, advice and a range of direct support services to support them in their caring roles.

We are commissioned by Health and Social Care North Lanarkshire and South Lanarkshire Health and Social Care Partnership to provide Adult Carer Support Services to carers living in Lanarkshire.

Early intervention and prevention is key to ensuring carers continue to manage and do not reach crisis point. Lanarkshire Carers works in partnership with a range of organisations and services that can help carers.

The support and services that we provide:

• Adult Carer Support Plans
• Support with Emergency Planning and Anticipatory Plans
• Emotional and Practical Support on a one-to-one basis with the carer
• Support to access a Short Break, enabling carers to take some time out from the demands and regular routine of caring
• Helping carers to feel confident in their caring roles and look after their own Health and Wellbeing through our Carer Training Programme
• Dedicated support for Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) communities including bi-lingual support
• Tailored support for Young Adult Carers (aged 18-25)
• Support when engaging with social work and partner organisations
• Carer Legal Clinics where carers can obtain advice on topics such as Guardianship and Power of Attorney with a solicitor
• An opportunity for carers to have their voices heard to promote direct involvement and influence improvement in the planning and delivery of health and social care services.
• A virtual drop in service for carers wishing to access carer support via a video call via the NHS Lanarkshire Near Me platform.

Our Vision

Lanarkshire Carers works with and for carers in Lanarkshire to develop and deliver services that make a positive difference to their lives

Our Mission

To ensure that carers in Lanarkshire are identified, engaged, well informed, involved, supported, and empowered

Our Values

Our values guide our behaviour and expectations and how we will aim to conduct our business no matter what we are doing. They will guide, inspire and constrain our actions.

Our Aims

• Carers in Lanarkshire are identified to ensure that they are engaged, well informed, involved, supported and empowered to manage and sustain their caring roles
• Carers can access breaks from their caring role and enjoy a life outside caring
• Preventative, practical and emotional support is available to carers at an early stage and ongoing throughout their caring journey
• Carers have a voice which is heard, listened to and effective
• Carers receive training and development relevant to their caring role
• Communities and partner organisations are aware of carers and the issues that impact on them
• Carers are aware of their rights and are recognised and valued as equal partners in care

Our History

We were founded in 1995 as Princess Royal Trust Lanarkshire Carers Centre Ltd, with the aim of providing support services for carers across Lanarkshire. We operate as a separate legal entity, an independent organisation, and an affiliated partner of the Carers Trust Network.

In January 2015, we adopted the operating name of Lanarkshire Carers Centre. The move of the registered office in Hamilton and organisational developments required a brand and information review to reflect changes locally to the organisation and nationally to the Network to which we are affiliated.

Carers Trust was formed from the merger of The Princess Royal Trust for Carers and Crossroads Care in 2012. The charity has sought to establish itself and its brand with Network Partners and externally to ensure that carers get the recognition, support and services they need to live a life outside of caring. The collective size, range and reach of Carers Trust across the UK with carers means the foundations are in place for working peer to peer, sharing, growing, building and developing for the benefit of carers. The Carers Trust is a charity for, with and about carers, working with a unique network of 116 independent Carers Centres to make sure that information, advice and practical support are available to carers across the UK. As an affiliated network partner, Lanarkshire Carers contributes to the development of its aims and objectives.

In 2015 Carers Trust began a consultation exercise as part of the strategic planning process for the future. This will result in an overarching strategy for carers with a shared set of outcomes for the next five years. As an affiliated network partner, Lanarkshire Carers is involved in this process and is also represented on the Scotland Working group through the Managers and Trustee network representatives.

HRH the Princess Royal continues to be a patron of Carers Trust which is an important part of the history of the organisation in Lanarkshire.