Being Heard is our self-advocacy guide for carers
Self-advocacy is about speaking up for yourself. It’s about getting your voice heard and effectively communicating your own interests. Our guide has been designed to help you communicate your needs with professionals, understand your rights and look after your wellbeing.
Main guides
Caring can be rewarding but also very isolating. You may not know what help to ask for, how to ask, or indeed who to ask.
Being Heard can help you get your voice heard when you care for someone. Self advocacy is also about being able to have your own needs listened to, as well as speaking up for the person you care for.
As well as being a solid source of information on your rights as a carer, the guides offer helpful tips on how to speak up and look after your wellbeing. For useful accompanying resources, such as a complaints letter template, see the links below.
Click the relevant link below to download the Being Heard guide:
We have some printed copies which you can order from our online shop.
Other useful resources
The guide also features extra resources to download:
- Complaints letter template
- Mindfulness
- Reflecting on events
- Watch our animated film about self-advocacy
Watch our video for more self-advocacy tips
This is for general information purposes only. Correct at time of recording (October 2023).
Latest updates
![Dummy image](/media/wktlg5hv/adobestock_528174948-min.jpeg?center=0.2473769211468394,0.494159415827546&mode=crop&width=255&height=190&rnd=132654752814970000)
Kings Speech - Carers UK welcomes Employment Rights Bill provisions but calls for unpaid carers to be greater priority for Government
Responding to today’s speech by King Charles III, Emily Holzhausen CBE, Director of Policy and Public Affairs at Carers UK,…
![Dummy image](/media/wktlg5hv/adobestock_528174948-min.jpeg?center=0.2473769211468394,0.494159415827546&mode=crop&width=255&height=190&rnd=132654752814970000)
Rise in people discharged early from hospital puts millions of unpaid carers under more pressure
A survey by the Adult Directors of Social Services, ADASS, reveals a rise in the numbers of people being discharged…
![Dummy image](/media/wktlg5hv/adobestock_528174948-min.jpeg?center=0.2473769211468394,0.494159415827546&mode=crop&width=255&height=190&rnd=132654752814970000)
Carers UK responds to the appointment of Sir Stephen Timms MP as the DWP Minister for Social Security and Disabilities
“We are delighted that Sir Stephen Timms MP has been appointed as the DWP Minister for Social Security and Disabilities.…
![Dummy image](/media/wktlg5hv/adobestock_528174948-min.jpeg?center=0.2473769211468394,0.494159415827546&mode=crop&width=255&height=190&rnd=132654752814970000)
Scheme supporting unpaid carers in the workplace celebrates 15-year anniversary
Employers for Carers (EfC), a membership forum set up to champion and promote effective workplace support for staff with caring…
Got a question about caring?
Every day we hear from people who need help with looking after a friend or family member
Become a member for free
Joining Carers UK is free and takes just a few minutes.