We understand that families come in all shapes and sizes. Most families will
encounter difficulties and challenges and many may deal with their problems with
the help of friends and family. When those challenges can seem overwhelming we
are here to listen and offer practical and emotional support.
We have specific projects to support carers and their families:
Family Focus Project
This service involves working with families where one or more parents or anyone in a position of parental responsibility, have been identified as having substance misuse problems ie. alcohol and/or drug use, or mental ill health. The service will work with the whole family, offering intensive support to both adults and children living within the household.
Blackpool has a significantly high number of families where substance misuse is problematic and who subsequently live in isolation and poverty through fear of contact with Social Services. This project will address these issues, providing a wide range of emotional and practical support to young carers and their families. Help offered will involve individual support, emergency support planning, trips and activities for the whole family, along with signposting, guidance and information.
Support will be provided at times to suit the family – mostly over the weekend or in the evenings to ensure that the whole family can be involved.
The project aims to contribute to an improvement in the social problems evident in Blackpool by tackling substance misuse issues at an early stage, helping to avoid learned behaviour and young people becoming involved in substance use / misuse.
How you can get help from this service
If you have any problems or would just like someone to talk to in confidence then either give one of our Young Carers’ Family Support Workers a call on 01253 393748, email faye.atherton@blackpoolcarers.org, or fill out the Contact Us Form on this website and someone will contact you.
Hand in Hand Project (Parent Carers)
Your child may access mainstream education with support, or attend a special school or college in the local area.
It may be difficult for you to recognise yourself as a parent carer because you are simply carrying out your role as a parent or ‘getting on with things’.
How can we help?
Blackpool Carers Centre recognises the role of a parent carer and the challenges this can bring, such as:
- the impact on the whole family
- accessing services to get the best for your child
- the impact on your own wellbeing
- the impact on siblings’ wellbeing
- isolation and/or feeling lonely
- accessing the appropriate support
- financial difficulties.
Our Hand in Hand project, funded by the National Lottery through the Big Lottery
Fund, can support you to alleviate these issues by offering:
- one to one appointments
- information and/or signposting to other organisations who can help you
- reduced price 3 and 4 night breaks at our Holiday Home in the Lakes
- emotional and practical support
- support and consultation groups
- coffee mornings
- Citizen’s Advice Sessions
- help completing forms
- grant applications
- assistance from additional funding through the voluntary sector.
We work in partnership with agencies across Blackpool including, Aiming Higher, Blackpool Council Social Care, Citizens’ Advice Bureau, Empowerment, schools and The Together Centre, as well as many other agencies who may be able to help you.
If you have any problems or would just like someone to talk to in confidence then either give one of our Parent Carers’ Support Workers a call on 01253 393748, email duncan.campbell@blackpoolcarers.org, or fill out the Contact Us Form on this website and someone will contact you.
Visit our Support For Carers page for more information on services we offer families.