From 2010 to 2012, several COFACE member organisations participated in the European project Self-assessment of their needs by family carers: The pathway to support. COFACE was an associate partner, responsible for the dissemination of the project results at EU level. The partnership is coordinated by Unapei, a French umbrella organisation defending the rights and interests of persons with intellectual disabilities and their families. Absorbed as they are by their commitment to their relatives, family carers often neglect their own issues and the outside support they could seek. Often even, they don’t consider themselves as carers but just as parent or spouse, and they have no knowledge of their rights.
The objective of the partnership is to identify, at EU level, good practices in the field of awareness raising and training aiming at promoting self-assessment of their needs by family carers. Indeed, it is key that they take these steps to gain awareness of their difficulties, to define their needs and to ask for adequate support.Ultimately, the aim is to prevent social exclusion of families and to ensure quality care for persons with dependency needs.
The project was funded with support from the European Lifelong Learning Programme “Grundtvig”, aiming at the promotion of adult education.
Partnership
Belgium: AP³ Bulgaria: CWSP, Cyprus: POP, Spain: CEAFA, France: APF and Unapei, Ireland: The Carers Association, Italy: Co.Fa.As «Clelia», Luxembourg: APEMH, Slovakia: Club of Large Families
Associate partners: Belgium: Aidants Proches France: ASBH , UNAFTC and Alliance Maladies Rares
European NGOs: COFACE and EUROCARERS
