Background to programme FAQs
Q What is Caring with Confidence?
A Caring with Confidence is a programme of free, flexible support sessions enabling carers who look after a friend or relative the opportunity to build on their skills and knowledge to help improve their own lives and that of the person they care for.
Q How did Caring with Confidence come about?
A Caring with Confidence is part of the renewed National Carers Strategy which was born out of the White Paper – ‘Your Health, Your Care, Your Say’. This identified a need for an expert carers-type programme which would enable carers to improve their own lives and that of the person they care for.
Q Who administers the programme?
A Working in partnership, four organisations were awarded the contract to develop and manage the delivery of the programme. The partner organisations are:
- Carers UK
- Crossroads Care
- The Princess Royal Trust for Carers
- The Expert Patients Programme Community Interest Company (EPP CIC) who are also the lead administrative organisation.
Between them, the partners are in contact with vast numbers of carers across the country. They also have extensive experience in the development and delivery of training for carers.
Q How do you know Caring with Confidence is something carers want?
A Following the need which was identified during consultation around the National Carers Strategy, we have ensured carers have been at the heart of the development of the programme to make sure we developed it in the most appropriate way.
Aspects carers were involved with include:
- an extensive piece of primary research into similar past provision, the proposition and our name which was carried out through focus groups and questionnaires amongst carers
- representation on our Core Development Group who helped develop the session content and delivery style
- representation on our Reference Group which included both professionals from the charitable and public sector working with carers, and carers themselves
- trialling both our face-to-face group sessions, our self-study workbooks and online programme, offering constructive feedback to help us develop and refine the programme
- piloting the programme with two carers centres in Leicester and Sunderland where carers participated in the group sessions.
Q How is the programme funded?
A Caring with Confidence is funded by the Department of Health and is part of the Government’s renewed National Carers Strategy and the ‘New Deal for Carers’ which aims to improve support for carers aged 18 and over in England.