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Looking after yourself

Access to support or guidance that can help you look after your physical and mental health

Break from Caring

 

Any break, which strengthens and/or sustains informal caring relationships and enhances the wellbeing of carers and the people they support. This may be achieved through a service, an activity or an item.

 

The scheme was set to run until 2026, but thanks to further investment from Welsh Government, it will now run for an extra three years, until the end of March 2029.

 

Carers Trust Wales, the national coordinating body of the scheme, provides grants to organisations that will enable more than 60,000 unpaid carers to take a break by 2029. 

 

To apply for a short break, unpaid carers should contact their local provider directly:

 

Short Breaks Scheme Carers Trust Wales 

Looking After Your Wellbeing

It is important that you look after your own health to enable you to continue effectively in your caring role, if this is what you choose to do. 

Looking After Your Well-being


Our Wellbeing Matters Service is a single point of access for Health and Wellbeing Services for adults in the Vale of Glamorgan and can connect you to a range of services and support across the local authority in relation to Health and Wellbeing.

 

Wellbeing Matters Service

 

What is the Vale Family Compass?

We provide a range of information, advice, support and protection for children, young people and their parents, unpaid carers and families in the Vale of Glamorgan.

 

We have brought together the Family Information Service, Families First Advice Line, and the Intake Team.

 

We aim to provide you with the right information and support at the right time from your first point of contact. 


Emotional Wellbeing and Mental Health

The Early Help advisors will discuss what matters to you and your family and how to access the right help at the right time.

 

This may include referring you to a range of services included below – or letting you know about other services.

  • Youth Wellbeing Service
  • Emoji's Project (Action for Children)
  • YMCA Young Carers Project
  • Platfform - The Hangout

Emotional Wellbeing and Mental Health

 

You can contact Council support and services independently, if you prefer:

 

Some schools provide Wellbeing After-school Clubs and they will all recognise and support any pupil who has a role as a young carer:

After-School Wellbeing Clubs

 

The Cost of Living crisis has had an additional impact for many unpaid carers:

Cost of Living Support

 

The Council has drawn together information on a number of resources to help you improve your wellbeing during the current crisis:

Health and Wellbeing

 

The Learning Links Team is the main point of contact and linking service for children their families, schools, and agencies within the local authority and outside the local authority. We support schools to meet the needs of these learners.

 

Our main aim is to advocate on behalf of all learners with additional challenges, with all aspects of their education, track their achievements, and assist them in overcoming any barriers to their success, ensuring they achieve their full potential.

Learning Links Team

 

The Vale’s Library and Information Service have a range of services and books that may help you with managing your wellbeing:

Libraries Health and Wellbeing

 

Our Healthy Living Team, working with a range of partners, have compiled a number of walks to keep you and your family healthy, active and having fun:

Wellbeing Walks

 

  

Rights to support

The Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act came into effect on 6 April 2016 

Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act

 

This law exists to improve the well-being of people in Wales and includes carers who need support. 

  • The right to wellbeing

  • The right to have information, advice and assistance

  • The right to an assessment if your needs cannot be met by information and advice

  • The right to have your voice heard and have control over decisions about your support

  • The right to advocacy

 

Cardiff and Vale Regional Partnership (CAVRPB)

The CAVRPB is a collaboration of statutory, third sector and independent organisations in Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan who are working together to improve health and wellbeing of the population. 

CAVRPB Living Well

The Partnership have signed up to a set of commitments which set the priority for actions they will take together to plan and support unpaid carers across Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan.

 

These commitments are explained within the Cardiff and Vale Unpaid Carers Charter: 

Unpaid Carers Charter