We're developing a suite of new resources to assist councils to improve their local support for unpaid carers and to prepare for Care Quality Commission (CQC) assessment. In this section, you'll find links to all of our resources, webinars and support offers.
We're prepared a suite of resources, webinars and support tools to help councils improving their local support for unpaid carers and prepare for CQC assessment.
All of our work on unpaid carers is undertaken in partnership with councils, carers organisations and unpaid carers, and alongside the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS) Carers Policy Network and regional carer's leads networks.
No wrong doors for young carers
Partners in Care and Health commissioned Carers Trust to undertake a refresh and updating of 2015’s No wrong doors for young carers: a template memorandum of understanding (MOU) between Directors of Adults and Children’s services. This updated MOU was launched on 29 February 2024, alongside practice guidance and case examples. You can find the updated MOU and associated materials on the Carers Trust dedicated webpage.
No wrong doors for young carers
The Care Act 2014 and unpaid carers: a handy summary
Councils’ duties towards unpaid carers are woven through The Care Act 2014 legislation and statutory guidance.
Designed to support councils with CQC preparedness, The Care Act 2014 and unpaid carers: a handy summary pulls together in one place the key principles underpinning the Act and the statutory duties placed on councils.
The summary can be used to prepare for CQC assessment and will be of interest to carers leads, assurance leads and commissioners in councils, as well as elected members, local and national carers organisations, and other partners.
The Care Act 2014 and unpaid carers: a handy summary
What's about the quality? Using quality standards to drive improvement in support of unpaid carers
Following our popular 'What's the story?' webinar, we are holding a second webinar in our series aimed at supporting councils and their partners to prepare for CQC assessment as it relates to unpaid carers.
We will look at how councils can use National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) quality standards to drive improvement in how they support unpaid carers. NICE guidelines are evidence-based recommendations for health and care in England and are referenced by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in their assessment framework as best practice.
These webinars have been developed in partnership with NICE, the ADASS Carers Policy Group, Councils, Carers Trust, Carers UK, and an unpaid carer.
Book on to 'What's about the quality?
Integrated Care Systems (ICS) PowerPoint template
We've developed these PowerPoint slides with the ADASS Carers Policy Group for councils to use when briefing and raising the profile of unpaid carers with integrated care system (ICS) colleagues. You can add your own logos, branding and content to this slide deck, and feel free to adapt them as needed to suit your local requirements.
The Carers Challenge 2023
The Carers Challenge 2023, led by ADASS President Beverley Tarka, Carers Trust and Carers UK, aims to inspire new ways to support unpaid carers.
As part of the challenge, social care teams and their partners in integrated care systems and communities are being invited to put forward examples of what they’re doing to improve support for carers. Initiatives could include providing better access to breaks, supporting more carers to come forward for help or awareness-raising campaigns.
The aim is to bring these examples together into one online storehouse of great ideas that anyone working in care can use to improve support for carers.
Registration to take part has now ended but you can find out more.
Unpaid carers and Care Quality Commission (CQC) assurance
This toolkit is designed to support councils with CQC assurance as it relates to unpaid carers. It builds on published information about the CQC's approach to assessing how well councils are discharging their duties under The Care Act (2014). It sets out how the CQC will approach evidence collection; the types of evidence they will use; their likely lines of enquiry as they relate to unpaid carers and links to useful resources and materials. In addition to our toolkit, there is a range of support available on all aspects of the new CQC assurance framework.
Ten things to do now to prepare for CQC assurance as it relates to unpaid carers
A quick checklist developed by the ADASS Carers Group, councils, Carers Trust, Carers UK, NICE, and Partners in Care and Health.
Highlighted pages
No wrong doors for young carers
The Care Act 2014 and unpaid carers: A handy summary
