A successful online course designed to raise awareness of carers’ rights and support services available to them is being extended.

The innovative Dudley Council-run course, aimed at carers themselves, as well as employers and organisations is now being rolled out across the West Midlands region.

Funded by the Department of Health, the Carer Aware course was launched in Dudley in July last year. It has been hailed as a great success and is now to be used as a blueprint by at least 35 authorities to help raise the awareness of carers’ issues, rights and carers support across the country.

Andrea Pope-Smith, director of adult, community and housing services said: “There are over 35,000 carers in Dudley, and this number is likely to rise once the details of this year’s census are available. It is absolutely essential that we help to support carers in their vital role. This course is such a valuable tool and we have received very positive feedback from those individuals and organisations that have taken the course and I hope more people sign up and become ‘carer aware’.

“On the back of this success we have also managed to secure additional government funding to develop an ‘essential guide to adult social care’ on-line course, which will help individuals as well as organisations understand the new personalised approach to adult social care. I am particularly pleased that Dudley is leading the way.”

The course can be completed by carers or staff at local organisations. When a number of staff within an organisation have completed the course, they will become ‘carer aware’ accredited and given a sticker to display in the building so carers know that staff are trained to signpost them to accurate information which will help them in their caring role.

This online tool provides the most up-to-date information on carers’ rights and can be used not just as a one-off training course but can be visited time and time again. The course can be accessed at www.dudley.gov.uk/careraware People who do not have computers at home can access the course at any of the borough’s 13 libraries where staff have already been trained to offer a carers information service for family carers.

Organisations keen to become carer aware accredited should call Christine Rowley, carers’ co-ordinator on 01384 818723 or email christine.rowley@dudley.gov.uk