Caring for someone close to you
If you support a partner, family member, friend or neighbour who relies on you for help to live their life, you are a carer. Anyone can become a carer and carers come from all walks of life, all cultures and can be any age. You might not see yourself as being a carer; you might just feel you are doing what anyone else would do in the same situation.
It’s important to know if you’re a carer, because as a carer you have rights and can get support with your caring role.
On this page, you will find information to help you understand whether you are a carer, your rights as a carer, and support for carers in Doncaster.
Are you a carer?
A carer is a person who supports someone close to them who needs extra help as they grow older, or due to a disability or health condition.
The person you care for could be your:
- Husband, wife or partner
- Family member – such as a parent, brother, sister, son or daughter friend or neighbour
You might help the person with:
- Cleaning or shopping
- Preparing and eating meals
- Personal care – such as getting washed and dress, and using the toilet
- Getting about at home, or going out to work, to see friends or to other places
- Medical care - driving them to and from appointments, arranging appointments and helping with medicine dosages or delivery
- Friendship and emotional support
- And much more
Carers are sometimes referred to as ‘unpaid carers’ because they are not paid for their caring role. People who receive Carers Allowance are still unpaid carers.
You are not classed as a carer if you have a paid job like a care worker or a support worker, or you work as a volunteer in a caring role.
Your rights as a carer
If you are a carer, you have lots of rights.
You can find out more about your rights on Your Life Doncaster at Carers' rights.
Find out about your rights as a carer on Your Life Doncaster
Carer’s Assessment
All carers are entitled to a Carer’s Assessment. This is not a test of your skills as a carer or a judgement on how well you are caring for someone. It is a friendly chat, focusing on you and your caring role.
As of Tuesday 1st April 2025, the Carer’s Wellbeing Service (previously carried out by Making Space) will be provided directly by the Council, using its own Wellbeing Team.
This means that more workers will be available to help Doncaster’s carers with information, advice and support than now. Workers in the Wellbeing Team are already connected into Doncaster’s different neighbourhoods and have a lot of local knowledge to help carers.
Although the Council’s Wellbeing Team will take over providing the service from Making Space, there won’t be wider changes without the full involvement of carers. For example, the carers peer support groups that currently run in the St Mary’s Church Hall (Sprotborough), St Peter’s Church Hall (Conisbrough) and Kirk Sandall Assembly Hall will continue. The group run from the Baptist Church Hall (Doncaster) will continue to be run by Making Space.
A worker from the team will listen to you to understand what matters most to you, whether you are willing and able to continue in your caring role, and any support you may need to live the life you choose to lead.
As experts in supporting Doncaster residents, the Wellbeing Team will also be able to give you information about your rights, and advise if you could claim some benefits and allowances or tax reductions.
To help prepare for a Carer’s Assessment it is a good idea to make a list of all the things you do in your caring role and how it affects you. You can find more information and advice on the Carers UK website.
You can contact the Wellbeing Team on 01302 737100 or email carers@doncaster.gov.uk
Local support groups
Carers tell us that speaking with other people who are in a similar situation can be a good way to get advice and support.
All Support Groups
The Wellbeing Team offer local support groups for carers. These groups give you the opportunity get support from the Wellbeing Team and to meet other carers:
• East Area - Kirk Sandall - 1st Wednesday of every month
1st Wednesday of every month. 10:30am – 12pm. Kirk Sandall Assembly Hall, Dentons Green Lane, Kirk Sandall, DN3 1JP
• North Area - Sprotbrough - 1st Thursday of every month
1st Thursday of every month. 1:30pm – 3pm. The Stables, St. Mary’s Church Hall, Main St, Sprotbrough DN5 7RH
• South Area - Conisbrough - 3rd Tuesday of every month
3rd Tuesday of every month. 10:30am – 12pm. St Peter’s Church Hall, Church Street, Conisbrough, DN12 3HL
Doncaster Parent Voice is run by parents of disabled children, for families with disabled children. For more information, visit Doncaster Parent Voice or call 01302 637566
Doncaster Partnership for Carers support carers in their caring role by giving you the tools and resources to ensure you are looking after your own health and wellbeing, as well as the person you are supporting. You can find out more information at Doncaster Partnership for Carers
Crossroads Care Charity provide support to unpaid carers and the people they care for across Doncaster and Rotherham. They work with over 35,000 individuals and their families, supporting carers to make a life of their own in addition to their caring role.
Crossroads can offer a range of service:
Carers’ Trust Grants – up to £400 which are open to any person caring for a love one.
Carers’ Counselling Service – up to 7 free sessions available, although this can only be accessed at the Rotherham Headquarters.
Carers’ Foodbank – although this can only be accessed at their Rotherham Headquarters.
Carers’ Group – based across Doncaster, can be accessed through the ‘Keep in Mind service’ and is restricted to people caring for a person with dementia. Groups are free and include refreshments, access to free therapies, arts, crafts and games, the cared for person can attend with the carers.
- East Area– Dunsville
Every Tuesday. 1:30pm – 3:30pm. Dunsville Community Centre, 72 High Street, Dunsville, DN74BX
- South Area - Denaby
Every Thursday. 1:30pm – 3:30pm. Denaby Family Hub, School Walk, Denaby, DN12 4HZ
- Central Area - Bennetthorpe
Every Wednesday. 1.30pm – 4pm. The Silver Link Centre, Bennetthorpe, Doncaster, DN2 6AA
- North Area - Scawsby
Every Friday. 1:30pm – 3:30pm. The Greenwood Centre, 18 Latin Gardens, Scawsby, DN5 8TE
For more information contact:
Crossroads Care on 01709 360272, via email: info@crossroadsrotherham.co.uk or visit their website: www.crossroadsrotherham.co.uk/doncaster-services/
For the Keep in Mind Groups please call: 01302 812813
Making Space's Carers' Support Group 'We All Are One' provides support for unpaid carers in Doncaster. The group welcomes carers from all cultures, religions, genders and races. Making Space advise that they make sure all the carers are treated equally, inclusively, with understanding and appreciating carers. Their group “We All Are One” recognises the difficulties carers are experiencing, respect for all they are doing, providing information, and giving them support they need to care safely. We All Are One works on the model of equality, equity, liberation and removing barriers.
Making Space advise that the 'We All Are One' understands that carers have a life besides their caring role. The group meets weekly and is themed with carers receiving free refreshments, pampering, gentle exercise, games, training, arts and craft and games.
• Central Area - Chequer Road
Every Thursday 11:30 am – 1.30 pm. Baptist Church Hall, Chequer road, Doncaster, DN1 2AL.
For more information, please contact Rosemary Stephen, Quality and Diversity Co-ordinator via telephone: 07813 555705 or email: rosemary.stephen@makingspace.co.uk
Caring for someone who needs support with their mental health
Caring for someone with memory problems (inc. Dementia)
Bullcroft Memory Cafe - 2nd Monday of every month. 1pm - 3pm @ Bullcroft Memorial Hall, Chestnut Avenue, Carcroft, DN6 8AP
Crossroads Care Charity provide support to unpaid carers and the people they care for across Doncaster and Rotherham. They work with over 35,000 individuals and their families, supporting carers to make a life of their own in addition to their caring role.
Crossroad's Carers’ Groups – based across Doncaster, can be accessed through the ‘Keep in Mind service’ and is restricted to people caring for a person with dementia. Groups are free and include refreshments, access to free therapies, arts, crafts and games, the cared for person can attend with the carers.
- East Area– Dunsville
Every Tuesday. 1:30pm – 3:30pm. Dunsville Community Centre, 72 High Street, Dunsville, DN74BX
- South Area - Denaby
Every Thursday. 1:30pm – 3:30pm. Denaby Family Hub, School Walk, Denaby, DN12 4HZ
- Central Area - Bennetthorpe
Every Wednesday. 1.30pm – 4pm. The Silver Link Centre, Bennetthorpe, Doncaster, DN2 6AA
- North Area - Scawsby
Every Friday. 1:30pm – 3:30pm. The Greenwood Centre, 18 Latin Gardens, Scawsby, DN5 8TE
For more information contact:
For the Keep in Mind Groups please call: 01302 812813 via email: info@crossroadsrotherham.co.uk or visit their website: www.crossroadsrotherham.co.uk/doncaster-services/
Caring for someone near the end of their life
Preparing for an emergency - Get a Doncaster Lions message in a bottle
The bottle is a simple but effective way to keep essential personal and medical details in one place. Paramedics, police, fire fighters and social care workers know to look in the fridge when they see the Lions Message in a Bottle sticker. Bottles can be supplied free of charge.
You can apply at Doncaster Lions Message in a Bottle
Getting support at work
It can be challenging to balance a job and support someone close to you. You should talk to your employer to see what support they can offer you. The support can include:
- Flexible working
- Taking time off
- Changing your work arrangements
You can find more advice on your rights at work by visiting Carers UK
If you are a Doncaster business you can find practical resources, advice and information to support your employee’s at www.efcdigital.org and enter our unique access code #EFC1849 to register
Free courses for carers
As a carer you will have developed lots of skills and knowledge, and you might want to learn some new skills such as First Aid or supporting people to move safely and with dignity, as well as more specific training such as supporting someone with diabetes or dementia or someone who is autistic.
You may also no longer be caring and want to use the skills you have learnt as a carer to support others through a paid role. We also offer a number of courses to help you gain some formal qualifications.
You can find full details of all courses, including how to book your place, in the attached document below.
- Carers Master Copy 2024-25
- Download (469KB - DOC)
- Course booking terms and conditions
Download (20KB - DOCX)
For more information on our Moving and Handling Carers sessions (including dates and times) please click the link Below
- ASC Family carers Moving and Handling 25-26
- Download (294KB - DOCX)
Doncaster's All Age Carers Strategy
Doncaster’s All Age Carer’s Strategy ‘’We hear, we listen, we care, if you care” outlines how the City of Doncaster Council, and partners, will support unpaid carers of all ages to undertake the invaluable contribution they make on a daily basis to the people they are supporting, to services and to City.
Visit our carers strategy webpage to read the strategy and find out more.
Other useful links:
Downloads & Resources
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