Cheshire West and Chester Council is introducing a Carers Charter to help ensure equal opportunities for unpaid carers.

The Charter invites organisations to sign up to a set of principles that will give unpaid carers access to opportunities.

A carer can be anyone of any age providing unpaid assistance to a friend or family member who requires extra support due to illness, disability, mental health issues or addiction.

By committing to this Charter, organisations are agreeing that unpaid carers can get a certain level of support and engagement from them.

This includes including carers in decisions about the person they care for, offering carers opportunities to contribute to and help shape the services they use, empowering carers to have a voice and control over their caregiving role and ensuring they receive necessary advocacy and support.

The Carers Charter also aims to keep carers informed, respected, and included by healthcare and social care professionals throughout their caregiving journey.

Hosted by the council, the development of the project has been shaped by individuals with lived experience.

Councillor Sheila Little, cabinet member for Adult Social Care, said: "We have some excellent services in west Cheshire that support unpaid carers and having a Carers Charter that all organisations can sign up to aims to build on this.

"It’s important all unpaid carers have the same opportunities as anyone else in the community and can help shape the services they receive.

"While organisations that currently support unpaid carers might be particularly interested in the Carers Charter, we’re encouraging all organisations to sign up."

For more information you can visit https://www.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/residents/health-and-social-care/adult-social-care/carers-charter.