Collective Advocacy for Carers (Edinburgh Carers Council)

Who is this for?

• Unpaid carers who care for an adult aged 18 years old and over with mental health difficulties, a learning disability, autism, dementia, or acquired brain injury

Who provides this?

• Edinburgh Carers Council

Description

Edinburgh Carers Council provides opportunities for mental health carers to be involved in collective advocacy.

You can work with other carers to bring about change and raise awareness of issues which affect them. Through collective advocacy, carers can be involved in all stages of the planning of mental health services. You can also share your experience, information and take action as a group.

Edinburgh Carers Council promotes carers collective advocacy by:

• facilitating monthly carer groups for carers of people in older people’s services
  *Due to Covid-19, these groups are temporarily unavailable but will continue as soon as it is safe to do so
• bringing together carers from Edinburgh and the Lothians at the Carers Forum which meets bi-monthly and is led by carers.

The Carers Forum supports you to meet with other carers and look at information about current changes and developments within mental health. Together, you can discuss and collectively address these issues and move them forward to make a difference. This is one of the Edinburgh Carers Council’s key objectives – to ensure that the views and needs of mental health carers are represented and included at all stages of the planning and implementation of mental health services in Edinburgh.

The Carers Forum also provides a clearer means for you to feedback and make suggestions to the Edinburgh Carers Council to make sure it is providing what carers want from an advocacy service. As a carer-led organisation, created by carers for carers, the Edinburgh Carers Council’s goal is to focus on the issues that are the most important for carers.

How do I access this?

• Self-referrals
• Service is appointment only
• Referrals by third parties

Is there a cost?

Free

Is there a waiting list?

No

Location information

• Translation service available upon request
• Wheelchair access available around the back of the building
• Private parking available
• Public parking available
• Wheelchair access

Opening times

Dates and times for the collective advocacy groups and the carers forum which are listed on the Edinburgh Carers Council website.