Services for Carers

A carer is someone who is looking after or supporting a partner, friend, relative or neighbour who cannot manage without help because of illness, disability or frailty. In the Scottish Borders, there are approximately 11,500 who are caring for others. A carer may be:

a seven year-old child helping to look after a disabled parent
a thirty year-old man caring for a partner with Multiple Sclerosis
a sixty year-old woman caring for an elderly parent with Alzheimer's
someone supporting a neighbour with mental health problems.

Please follow the links below for more information about the services available for carers in your area.

What services are available for carers?

Please follow these links for more information:

You can also contact your local Social Work office if you would like to speak to someone for information and advice.

Information for Carers booklet

This free guide contains information about the support and resources available for carers from a wide range of agencies throughout the Borders. Features include an A-Z of organisations providing information, advice and support, a Who's Who of the professionals providing care, information about charges and benefits as well as a relaxation CD. Copies are available from local Social Work offices, the Borders Carers Centre or your local health centre. A pdf version is also available (pdf 1.5mb).

Carer Strategy Consultation

A Report on Public Consultation (pdf 180kb) has been prepared to provide members of the public with direct feedback following the Public Consultation on the joint Scottish Borders Council and NHS Borders Carers Strategy and the NHS Borders Carer Information Strategy. The report summarises the public consultation process, the events held, the comments received and the actions taken.