Kensington and Chelsea Mental Health Carers Association

Skills training for carers

Kensington and Chelsea Mental Health Carers Association provides support, advice, services and information for mental health carers in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.

Run by mental health carers, this is the only voluntary organisation of its type committed to providing a drop-in centre, personal support, training and events for other mental health carers. The group provides:

• Drop in centre
• Personal support
• Events
• Support group with professional speakers
• Group respite
• Training courses

The group recently obtained funding for the first solution focused on skills training programme for carers. The course contains 8 workshops which teach the skills utilised in positive psychology and solution focused caring. It is designed to cover the different aspects of coping with relatives who have a mental health illness or disability. This project was created in order to recognise that mental health carers have different needs from generic carers and therefore need specific support.

The group also offers well-being Saturdays, which provide complimentary therapies for carers.

The organisation prides itself on the fact that the association listens to and provides for the specific needs of the carers. The group provides a service that fills the gap that statutory services cannot address - evening and weekend support. Although it has been a challenge to gain recognition in the field, with hard work this has begun to change. The association has overcome their challenges with sheer determination and by becoming an independent body. They have also raised their profile by putting new initiatives into practice and securing funding for projects.

In the future, the Kensington and Chelsea Mental Health Carers Association hope to set up and develop a solution focused carers network which will provide on-going psychological support for people who have completed their course. In addition, complementary care has been negotiated free of charge for carers through partnership work with the Munro Centre for complementary care. This will include pampering sessions, reiki, shiatsu and reflexology.

Quotes

“As a carer I often feel quite isolated. This group has helped me in many ways and has been there to support me through the difficult times.” — Alison, Kensington & Chelsea Mental Health Carers Association