MEETINGS:

The dates for Cork Family Carers Forum Meetings in 2011 are as follows: Thursday 26th May and Thursday 20th October. Meetings will be held at 8pm in the Imperial Hotel, South Mall, Cork.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:

As part of the Carers' Week celebrations in 2005 a seminar was held with the aim of discussing the possible need for and issues surrounding the establishment of a Family Carers' Forum in Cork. The proposed Forum would focus on Family Carers and former Carers, their issues, concerns and encourage Carers' representation on relevant strategy groups in Cork City. Since then a steering group has come together to establish and direct the work of the Forum, which was officially launched on March 2007.

VISION STATEMENT:

"The Family Carers' Forum is a committed, united and empowering voice which represents, promotes awareness, lobbies and advocates on behalf of family carers in Cork city and county at a local, regional and national level."

ROLE OF THE CORK CITY AND COUNTY FAMILY CARERS' FORUM

• Bring together Family Carers and partners from support agencies, statutory agencies and government departments with a statutory responsibility for Family Carers to improve the quality of life of Family Carers and those in their care
• To develop processes and structures which will:
• Build the capacity of Family Carers and their Support Groups
• Inform and impact upon policy development
• Raise awareness of the issues facing and needs of Family Carers
• Enhance and develop services for Family Carers
• Deliver a strategic and proactive set of measures to the issues emerging from the Forum and to seek formal responses to and support for these measures at local, regional and national levels
• Deliver an annual report of the proceedings of the Cork City and County Family Carers' Forum to support agencies, statutory agencies and government departments with a statutory responsibility for Family Carers

AIMS OF THE FORUM:

• The Forum recognises the importance of peer support for Family Carers and aims to develop the capacity of Family Carers' groups to provide this support.
• The Forum recognises the importance of the Carers' voice in the development of local, regional and national level policy on Family Carers and aims to inform such policy with the views, needs, wishes and aspirations of Family Carers.
• The Forum recognises and acknowledges the role played by Family Carers in enhancing the quality of life of those in their care
• The Forum recognises that Family Carers are significantly under-resourced in their role and aims to develop enhanced service provision for Family Carers

MEMBERSHIP OF THE CORK CITY AND COUNTY FAMILY CARERS' FORUM

• Individual Family Carers and Ex-Carers
• Representatives from all political parties – 1 each from Fianna Fail, Fine Gael, Progressive Democrats, Labour Party, Green Party and Sinn Fein
• Representatives from:
• Community and Voluntary Organisations representing Family Carers in Cork city and county
• Community and Voluntary groups (Family Centres, Community Development Projects) working with Family Carers
• Locally based Family Carers Support Groups
• Cork City and County Councils
• Health Services Executive (Southern Region)
• Department of Social and Family Affairs
• Partnership companies operating within Cork city and county
• Leader companies operating within Cork county

USEFUL LINKS

Government

- Irish Government website – www.gov.ie
- Department of Health and Children – www.dohc.ie
- Department of Social and Family Affairs – www.welfare.ie
- National Disability Authority – www.nda.ie

Health

- HSE – www.hse.ie
- Mental Health Ireland – www.mentalhealthireland.ie

Information

- Citizens Information Board – www.citizensinformation.ie
- Irish Medical Directory – www.imd.ie

Interest Groups

- Carers Association – www.carersireland.com
- Care Alliance Ireland – www.carealliance.ie
- Care – www.carers.ie
- Caring for Carers – www.caringforcarers.ie
- Cross Care – www.crosscare.ie
- Eurocarers – www.eurocarers.org
- Senior Care – www.seniorcare.ie
- Schizophrenia Ireland – www.shineonline.ie
- Age and Opportunity – www.olderinireland.ie
- Age Action Ireland – www.ageaction.ie
- Disability Federation – www.disability-federation.ie
- Disabled Drivers Association – www.ddai.ie
- Irish Raynauds and Scleroderma Society – www.irishraynauds.com
- Irish Kidney Association – www.ika.ie
- Irish Heart Foundation – www.irishheart.ie
- MS Ireland – www.ms-society.ie
- Samaritans – www.samaritans.org
- Arc Cancer Support Centre – www.arccancersupport.ie
- Older and Bolder – www.olderandbolder.ie
- Young Carers UK – www.youngcarers.net
- Wheelchair Cars Ireland – www.wheelchaircarsireland.com
- Cork City Partnership – www.corkcitypartnership.ie
- Irish Wheelchair Association – www.iwa.ie

Employment

- FAS – www.fas.ie
- FETAC – www.fetac.ie