Bit of a Rant - re Newsletter: Track the Act findings

Have today received by email the Carers Wales Autumn newsletter with links to the ‘Track The Act’ findings

Key findings included:
54% of you had not been offered or requested a carer’s needs assessment or had a review of an existing assessment in the last 12 months.
61% of you had not been given advice about being a carer.
47% of you had not seen information that would help you in your role as a carer.

“We have made a number of recommendations to Welsh Government and Local Authorities and the briefing is being sent to politicians and key policy makers across Wales.”

“We need your help again. In the coming weeks we will be launching this year’s survey and would encourage you all to spend 10 minutes to complete it again.”

I seem to remember completing this survey at least 2 years running and very little seems to have changed. Whilst I’m all for Carers having their say and being heard, this feels like a box-ticking exercise in futility - because when all is said and done, there is a lot being said and nothing being done… Nothing has actually happened to improve the lives of Carers (in Wales or elsewhere in the UK). I can’t help thinking that this time next year we will be covering the same ground over again…!

Box ticking ?

Number one trait for both our supporting organisations … compiled from their ivory towers.

CarerLand … as it appears to them.

Different world to our Carerland … we have to survive in it.

Never lose sight of the numbers surveyed … and then compare that with the actual numbers of family / kinship carers out there.

To act on the information so compiled ?

Not in their remit … just to let anyone out there with an interest in family / kinship carers know their findings.

The past 30 years is full of those " Findings " … need a warehouse for all those filing cabinets ?

And a staple to group together all those findings that have led to anything.

Note in your diary for next year’s Annual Survey ?

Same questions that led nowhere … those that are revelant omitted ?

For example … housing / food banks … yet to make an appearance.

Oh well , our donations have to be spent … somewhere ?