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Read MoreI am a Parent Carer
A Parent Carer or guardian is someone who provides support to their child, including grown up son or daughter, aged up to 25 years, who could not manage without their help. This care could be due to the child or adult being ill, disabled or have a mental illness or addiction.
As a parent of a child with a disability or long-term illness, life can be incredibly demanding. You may find that you spend so much time fighting for the right support for your child, that your own physical and mental wellbeing is abandoned. Reaching out for support is not always easy, so simply being on this page is a step in the right direction.
Here you will be able to find the right information, advice and specialist services who can support you and your family to achieve the best possible outcome. It may be some light touch support or more intense support, there is something to help everyone.
A great place to start is by registering with Birmingham Carers Hub. Its free and once you are registered you can access a range of free support and services tailored to your needs. Have a scroll and take a look at the information available to Parent Carers and how to get in touch.
If you care for a child with a disability, Birmingham Children’s Trust will consider your own needs as part of the family assessment or if your child meets a specific criteria you may be able request a separate assessment by contacting the Disabled Children Social Care Team on: 0121 303 1888.
Support from Midland Mencap Family Carers Information Service
Forward Carers funds a number of partner organisations to work closely with Birmingham Carers Hub. For specialist Parent Carer Support, Midland Mencap offers a wide range of information, advice and support.
Midland Mencap is a learning disability charity which works and campaigns for accessible and inclusive services and a better quality of life for everyone. Midland Mencap can support parent carers in the following ways:
- Drop-in sessions across many community Hubs
- Parent Carers Wellbeing Assessments
- A wide range of Parent Carers Workshops & Training Courses including First Aid, Manual Handling and a range of emotional wellbeing sessions
- Parent Carers Wellbeing Support Groups across the city.
- Parent Carers Information Line available for any advice, guidance and signposting
- Parent Carer One to One Information, Advice and Guidance Sessions
- Short Breaks for Children with Additional Needs
- Family Events throughout the year
- Disabled Children’s Register plus Free Max Card and E-news
- Parent Carer Information Events across the City
- One to one support
- CERS (Carers Emergency Response Service)
- Welfare and benefit check
For more information on Parent Carer information, advice and support click here or contact Midland Mencap Family Carers Information Service on 0121 442 2944 or email: families@midlandmencap.org.uk
Midland Mencap also delivers free Parent Carer Wellbeing Workshops to ensure that you are safe and well so that you can manage stress and avoid feeling exhausted and burnt out. Wellbeing Workshops are currently being delivered via zoom and cover the following:
- Mindfulness
- Sleep Well and
- Relaxation
- Mindfulness
- Sleep Well and
- Relaxation
- Building Emotional
- Resilience
- Mental Health Awareness
- Building Confidence and
- Self-Esteem
- Healthy Relationships for
- Parent Carers
- Mental Health Awareness in Children and Young People
All of the Wellbeing Workshops are listed on our events calendar as well as a variety of other activities for Carers. From October, Midland Mencap hopes to deliver these Wellbeing Workshops at the community facilities in Weoley Castle Community Centre and Clifton Road Outdoor Learning Centre. To ensure the workshops are being managed safely and in line with risk assessments for Covid-19, they will be delivered to a maximum of seven carers per session.
Other support available
Action for Children
Action for Children support and speak out for the most vulnerable children and young people in the UK. Locally, Action for Children support parent-carers from their Children’s Community Centre in West Birmingham. They offer information and advice as well as out of school activities for children with additional needs. For more information please visit actionforchildren.org.uk or call 0121 507 9500.
KIDS
KIDS support children with disabilities, young people and their families. They ensure that children from birth to 25 have the opportunity to learn, play, build friendships, gain confidence, and improve their wellbeing. KIDS also provide time, emotional and practical support to parents and siblings. To find out more click here or called the West Midlands KIDS service on 0121 355 2707.
OSCAR Birmingham
OSCAR provides a specialist service for Family Carers, supporting someone, predominantly children and young people living with Sickle Cell Anaemia and Thalassaemia blood disorder, including co-morbidities. This city-wide service works as part of Birmingham Carers Hub partnership to support Carers from Black and Minority Ethnic communities, so they have better access to services, ensure they have a voice and are heard. For more information click here.
All Saints
All Saints Community Projects is there to provide services and facilities to improve the social welfare and health of young people aged 11 to 19 years old (up to 25 for those with disabilities) and their families in Birmingham. All Saints aims to enhance the lives of young people and grow their social and personal development. Many of the young people and young adults that they cater for have complex conditions including Down’s syndrome, Asperger syndrome and ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) and mental health issues. Others face behaviour and anger issues, are victims of bullying and/or abuse, being involved in antisocial behaviour, drug and alcohol misuse and crime or on the edge of crime. All Saints also support young people who have the responsibility of being a young carer or are in care. For more information and to see how All Saints can help you please click here.
Other useful contacts
Birmingham Local Offer
SEND Guide for Families
Birmingham Children’s Trust
Midland Mencap
Action for Children
Contact
Forward Thinking Birmingham
KIDS
Autism West Midlands
Advocacy Matters
POhWER
Birmingham Parent Carer Forum
NHS Birmingham Community Healthcare (Parents and Carers)
Benefit information
From Birmingham with Love
Carers Trust
Carers UK
SENDIASS (Special Educational Needs & Disability Information,
Advice and Support Service 0121 303 5004 email sendiass@birmingham.gov.uk
Family Fund
CEA Card
Max Cards for Parent Carers
To register your child on the Birmingham Disabled Children’s Register and to receive your FREE Max Card, click on the button below.
With thanks to Midland Mencap for their permission to use the main image on this page
