Ministerial Advisory Group for Unpaid Carers meeting: 9 December 2024

• Dawn Bowden MS, Minister for Social Care.
• Mary Wimbury, Special Advisor to Minister for Social Care.
• Alwyn Jones, Association of Directors of Social Services (ADSS) Cymru (Chair).
• Denise Moultrie, Welsh Government.
• Mark Price, Welsh Government.
• Louise Bushell-Bauers, Care Inspectorate Wales.
• Jayne Newman, Unpaid Carer.
• Rachel Clement, Children in Wales.
• Kai Collins, Young Carers Advisory Board.
• Rob Simkins, Carers Wales.
• Kate Cubbage, Care Alliance.
• Rachel Williams, Care Alliance.
• Naheed Ashraf, Aneurin Bevan University Health Board.
• Anna Bird, Hywel Dda University Health Board.
• David Watkins, Cwm Taff Morgannwg University Health Board.
• Tanya Tye, Cwm Taff Morgannwg University Health Board.
• Mererid Bowley, Powys Teaching Health Board.
• Rachel Wright, Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board.
• Valerie Billingham, Older People’s Commissioners Office.
• Victoria Lloyd, Age Cymru.
• Jon Day, Social Care Wales.
• Josie Yuen, Public Health Wales.
• Councillor Jane Tremlett, Carmarthenshire County Council.
• Kim Dolphin, Carers Officers Learning and Improvement Network.
• Kathy Proudfoot, Carers Officers Learning and Improvement Network.
• Nicola Hale, Vale of Glamorgan County Borough Council.
• Amy Hawkins, Swansea City Council.
• Nick Andrews, Swansea University.
• Rebecca Oatley, Cardiff University.

• Alyson Hoskins, Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council.
• Avril Bracey, Carmarthenshire County Council.
• Naomi Harper, Flintshire County Council.
• Jon Antoniazzi, Carers Alliance.
• Suzanne Becquer-Moreno, Cardiff and Vale University Health Board.
• Bobbie-Jo Haarhoff, Unpaid Carer.
• Taryn Stephens, Welsh Government.

The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting.

Introductions were made by the new members to the group.

An update was provided on a knowledge exchange programme with the Scottish Universities Insight Institute. The programme involved Wales, Scotland, and several European countries under the banner of Euro Carers. Focus areas included, the undervaluing of care (both paid and unpaid), the need for relationship-based practice, importance of a relational approach to policy development and implement and emphasis on the emotional labour involved in caring and the need for better support for both paid and unpaid carers.

An update was also provided on research projects at Cardiff University’s Centre for Adult Social Care Research (CARE) including Carers Assessments, Parent Carers Suicide Project and role of food in community-based support for people with dementia and their unpaid carers. Other projects in development include studies on unpaid carers in housing with care and the use of smart technology to support unpaid carers.

Actions included:

• AP1: copy of study to be provided with notes of the meeting
• AP2: link to January webinar "understanding suicide risk in parents caring for disabled children" to be circulated with meeting note
• AP3: slot for researcher updates to be included as future agenda item

No outstanding actions from this meeting.

Denise Moultrie highlighted ongoing work to improve carers' needs assessments and access to information, advice, and assistance. Work undertaken and proposals for local authorities to take forward is outlined in a paper sent to the Chair. This will be considered Heads of Adult Services at their next meeting in February. Discussions have also been held with Social Care Wales as to resources on their pages for unpaid carers and social workers. Parallel work is also underway with the health boards and a further survey will be considered.

Mark Price provided background information for new members and gave an update to the group on work to support young carers ID cards. Resources have been developed to promote the card in schools and colleges. These were issued the end of November to local authority Head of Children’s Services for them to consider sharing with schools and colleges in their areas. This work has been in conjunction with Carers Trust Wales who also developed a range of case studies. Feedback from the Young Carers Advisory Board was also taken into account. Carers Trust Wales is also refreshing general information education for young carers which will be provided to schools.

The remit of the working group will now be expanded, given the completion of these tasks to become an ongoing working group to influence and support young carers policy development and implementation. Membership will widen accordingly. A terms of reference will be developed for this.

We are continuing to seek opportunities to engage with pharmacies to promote carer-awareness. A further discussion will be held in January.

The Minister for Children and Social Care welcomed new members to the group.

The minister spoke of her visit to Swansea Carers Centre to celebrate Carers Rights Day on 21 November and welcomed the opportunity to speak to a number of unpaid carers. The minister also mentioned attendance at events organised by Carers Wales in the Senedd to celebrate Carers Rights Day and Carers Trust Wales in recognition of the Carers Support Fund.

In order to focus resources on actions that directly drive improvement, the minister advised that it would be more beneficial to deliver a robust annual delivery plan for 2025 to 2026. This will enable a direct focus on priority areas discussed in the two previous MAG meetings. Supporting carers to be able to maintain a balanced life alongside caring remains a key priority for Welsh Government as well as exploring any additional support we should be focused on for young carers.

A new national strategy will start to be developed at end of 2025 to be in place for the beginning of the new financial year in 2026 to 2027. This will entail a public consultation.

Denise Moultrie provided a update on the four overarching priorities in the current national strategy. Welsh Government funding and work streams arising from the strategy were highlighted including specific work undertaken by Carers Wales, Carers Trust Wales and Age Cymru to help support unpaid carers.

The continued priority for greater identification and value ascribed to carers was noted and issues of terminology around the term "unpaid carer". Disadvantages faced by young carers in education and employment highlighted as well as mental health and well-being pressures on unpaid carers were also noted.

It was also noted that we wish to enable carers to have balanced lives, including education, employment and social life as well as discussing outcomes and carer awareness in engaging with communities. Another area discussed in detail was improving recognition of carers in health and social care systems and improvements into hospital discharge planning. Monitoring impact of Carers Leave Act also noted.

The new annual delivery plan will be ready for April to start in new financial year and to work with our delivery partners. A task and finish group will also be established to support the completion of delivery plan.

Action:

• AP4: expressions of interest to be sought on joining the delivery plan task and finish group

Louise Clark provided an update on work Welsh Government is taking in introducing restrictions on the sale of wet wipes with plastic in them and to help ensure we are not restricting wet wipes that are needed for caring purposes. Details on the consultation have been issued to Carers Wales for circulation to wider networks for response by 18 December.

"Help older people across Wales to make their voices heard" questionnaire by the Older People’s Commissioner was raised and for the group to notify their networks. Further details will also be provided with notes from this meeting.

Action:

• AP5: details to accompany notes when circulated

Invites to be issued in January for 2025 meetings.