More than 18,000 unpaid carers have been identified in Lambeth, and the true number is expected to be higher. (Lambeth Council, 2024).
Some people care for someone for years. Others find themselves becoming a carer almost overnight. And some don’t think of themselves as a carer at all — they’re simply looking after their mum, partner, sibling, friend or neighbour.
There is already support available to carers in Lambeth, from information and advice to assessments, services and practical help.
But knowing that something exists isn’t the same as knowing what it means, whether it applies to you, who to contact or what you’re supposed to do next.
That’s the gap we’re looking at.
Carers Connected looks at caring from the carer’s point of view.
We’re exploring what happens as someone moves through that journey: how they find information and support, understand the language and processes they encounter, know what to expect and work out where to go when they need help.
We want to understand where things work well, where they become difficult to navigate and where information could be clearer or more useful.
We’re bringing together research and guidance with the experiences of carers and conversations happening across the community.
Some of those conversations have grown naturally from other We’re Good work. While developing Golden Memories, our founder Sonia connected with Cllr Sam Dorney-Smith, who later invited her to the Lambeth Carers Awards.
Being there (alongside other carers, the people supporting them and organisations working across Lambeth) brought some of the questions behind Carers Connected into sharper focus.
Those conversations have continued, with Sam, carers and community organisations bringing different perspectives on what works, what can be difficult to navigate and where things could be clearer.
We’re not starting with a solution.
We’re starting by understanding the journey properly and looking at where We’re Good could make a practical difference.
Carers Connected is in development for 2027.
Right now, we’re researching, listening and building a clearer picture of the caring journey in Lambeth.
What we learn will shape what Carers Connected becomes and where we focus first.
Notice a gap? Do something about it.
