Supporting Carers during the Covid-19 lockdowns

At Carers Support West Sussex (CSWS), we pride ourselves on being responsive to the needs of unpaid Carers, and whilst we are not an emergency service, we always hope that our offer will be timely and effective, enabling Carers to continue in their caring role, whilst considering their own needs. One of our ‘unique selling points’ is that over 60% of our staff and volunteers are, or have previously been, a Carer within their personal life. With this comes a wealth of empathy and understanding for the issues that Carers face daily.

When the country went into lockdown, with the instruction that ‘You must stay at home’, it meant different things to different people; for Carers the enormity of this impacted like a tsunami wave, calm and silent to begin with, followed by an experience for which few were prepared. As the weeks and months progressed, the sense of isolation became apparent, and with that, comes an increase in stress levels, risk of Carer breakdown, and the potential for safeguarding issues to come to the fore.

CSWS operates a central telephone point of contact via 0300 028 8888, known as our Response Line. It provides a focal point for Carers to obtain information, advice, and guidance, whilst being able self-refer and register for further support. Professionals can also refer people that they are supporting. At first our Response Line was very quiet, which was unusual, and it transpired to be the same for our partner agencies. Our teams adapted quickly to home-working; all Carer facing activity was cancelled and we moved into online delivery in every way that we could. Carer groups were to be conducted via Zoom, and our Counselling Service was delivered via telephone. Staff, Volunteers and Carers alike moved into new ways of working, living, and seeking information. We set up new projects to support Carers with the new challenges that they were facing around digital inclusion and isolation.

Over time, contact with Carers began to increase, returning quickly to pre-lockdown levels, and subsequently with monthly registrations and queries increasing monthly. The content of the contacts had also changed, and it quickly became apparent that many Carers were struggling. At the point of lockdown, things changed quickly and without options. Day Services were closed, meaning that some Carers were now in a 24-hour caring role, without the option of respite for both themselves and the person that they cared for. Social opportunities, which may previously have been few for someone in a challenging, caring role were non-existent. Trying to purchase everyday foodstuffs became stressful, as the public began to stockpile groceries.

Staff were becoming increasingly aware of the tensions, frustrations and upset that Carers were having to deal with. Carers were struggling financially and emotionally, with their stories becoming more distressing; the impact of this on those on the receiving end of the calls quickly became apparent, notwithstanding that some also had their own caring roles, whilst continuing to work, and the need to provide additional support was reviewed and addressed. Some were reporting increased stress levels, loss of sleep, low mood, and finding it difficult to ‘switch off’ from what they were hearing, potentially living through the experience vicariously. The intensity of the discussions that were being held with Carers was unprecedented in volume and content.

Prior to lockdown, support for staff consisted of an Employee Assistance Programme (which included free access to counselling), alongside Stress Risk Assessments to review ongoing challenges and put an action plan in place to support this. During induction into the organisation, a 4-session Reflective Practice Programme was offered to support staff in their initial development, alongside a bi-monthly Staff & Volunteer Carer Support Group. Although this had previously worked well, it was clear that, to continue with our support of Carers, it would be necessary to bolster the offer available to staff.

In consultation with staff, a Wellbeing Programme was developed, which addressed both the mental and physical health of the team. A regular programme of Reflective Practice was introduced to support staff across all areas of the organisation, ensuring the opportunity to share work anxieties or concerns in a safe and confidential space. In addition, staff were allocated ‘Wellbeing Time’, to be utilised within their working hours, and this included a programme of many activities, such as online keep fit and mindfulness. This ran alongside the ongoing staff support programme, as previously highlighted, for a significant time during periods of lockdown and as society opened back up. We were able to provide a flexibility in working hours to support this overall process. Staff engagement levels throughout this process were high, including providing feedback, so we know that the support provided by the organisation was very much appreciated.

Many Carers are still experiencing the long-term effects of lockdown, with ongoing health issues and financial difficulty. Throughout these challenging times, CSWS has also worked closely with many agencies to access and share valuable resources with Carers, and the journey is ongoing. Covid-19 brought about many changes to everyday life and although some of the changes implemented across our service at the start of lockdown have remained, we have been able to re-introduce opportunities for Carers to meet up again. We continue to be mindful of the offer that is provided to staff to bolster their own wellbeing, ensuring that they are in the best place to support Carers across the county.