Gant, Valerie (Sage, 2016-09-10)
This commentary offers some of the author’s experiences of parenting a child with a severe learning disability and complex and challenging behaviours. Drawing on principles of auto-ethnography and critical reflection, the author considers issues of transition from children’s to adult social care services and the potential for support from a new piece of UK Legislation, the Care Act, 2014.
Gant, Valerie; Bates, Claire
This paper discusses potential opportunities for best practice in the UK that may be brought about by the Care Act (2014). Carers in the UK were given new rights within this legislation with a focus on needs led assessment. The underpinning philosophy of the Care Act is to streamline previous legislation and offer a framework for carers and people in receipt of care, to enable a more personalised approach to care and support.
Gant, Valerie (Critical Publishing, 2018-06-06)
Care-giving transcends race, gender and age and most people will be a care giver or receiver (often both) at some point in their lives. This book explores the extent of caregiving in the UK and discusses its impact on individuals, groups and communities, as well as health and social care professionals. The book covers ways of identifying carers and providing information and advice and, given the likelihood of practitioners themselves providing care, a discussion regarding maintaining resilience and the extent to which personal experiences guide and inform practitioners response to work with carers is included. Exercises allow the reader to explore ways practitioners can engage with and support carers. The recent legislative changes brought about by the Care Act 2014 is discussed, as well as relevant policies. Caregiving has the potential to transcend disciplines, so this text will appeal to students of a variety of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, and across the professional arena including social work, nursing, occupational and physiotherapy. The author is donating her royalties on this book to Carers UK and Carers Trust.
Gant, Valerie; Bates, Claire (Journal of Health and Social Care Improvement, 2017-01)
Building on this previous research and the practice background of both authors, this paper aims to identify and then explore potential new opportunities and possible challenges brought about by the introduction of the Care Act 2014 for older parent-carers of adults with learning disabilities. By considering some of the themes that had emerged in this earlier research, set within the then current legislative and political landscape (2006), this paper aims to provide a retrospective and prospective analysis of the legal and policy context within which service delivery to this group takes place, such as to orient thinking regarding the role and function of law and policy in relation to the delivery of services to this and, potentially, other carer-groupings. Plans for future research to develop further these areas will also be discussed.
Gant, Valerie (2021)
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide a commentary on “Older carers of people with learning disabilities: their experiences with local authority assessment processes and personnel” written by Rachel Forrester-Jones. Design/methodology/approach – The commentary considers the experiences of older carers in the context of research, legislative and policy changes over the last 30+ years. Findings – The needs of older carers of adults with learning disabilities are well recognised within the (limited) literature. Less attention has been given to practical strategies to identify and support such carers or to their broader family context. Originality/value – This commentary highlights that assessors carrying out carers’ needs assessments should consider whether adults with learning disabilities are providing care to their older relative. The recognition of possible mutual or reciprocal care needs to be acknowledged and appropriate support offered.