What we do

Refresh Carers will develop the capacity and skills of the unpaid parent carers of children, young people and adults with disabilities and long-term health conditions in the district of Leeds and surrounding areas of West Yorkshire by providing tailored support including workshops and one-to-one sessions. Refresh Carers define parents carers to be parents of disabled children and adults and also parents of children and adults with long-term health conditions. Our courses will be open to all parent carers as long as they want to achieve a goal such as pursuing a hobby, volunteering or paid work.

The survey findings that we conducted in early 2022 highlight many carers often have to give up their jobs to enable them to care, while doing this it also is evident from the findings that the carer then loses their confidence and often loses their identity alongside feeling undervalued and worthless. In addition, caring for a child with disabilities or long-term health conditions can be devastating. All these factors will contribute to a carer’s overall well-being and impact their future aspirations and personal goals. All the added factors will lead to long-term mental health, physical health and financial inequalities that will put extra pressure on the NHS, social care, and DWP departments. The further comments provided by carers also identify carers are often overlooked in their wants and needs. The overall findings of the survey concluded that regardless of the needs of the person being cared for, most carers will encounter if not all of the below

•          Isolation

•          Economic disadvantages

•          Physical challenges

•          Poor mental health

•          Poor physical health 

•          Loss of confidence

•          Loss of identity

•          Relationship breakdown

•          Marginalised

•          Disempowered

•          Exhaustion

•          Restricted lives

The outcomes Refresh Carers would like to see                         

• Improved mental health

• Improved physical health

• Less reliance on medication and medical services

• For those who gain employment, there will be improvements in their finances and less reliance on benefits

• Improved confidence

• Improved family relationships

• Improved care of the child, young person or adult

• Improve the status of parent carers

• More volunteers 

• Parent carers being skilled up to volunteer and get jobs in the future.