For professionals and community partners

Recognise carers earlier and make every referral more useful.

GPs, hospitals, social care teams, employers, pharmacies and community organisations are often the first to notice a caring role. A clear conversation can connect someone to support before pressure becomes a crisis.

Get involved locally

Caring in Devon is a Devon Carer Support service working with local partners. Age UK Devon delivers peer support for carers aged over 18, including opportunities to connect with other carers. Citizens Advice provides a specialist Carers Finance Service for adult carers of all ages, accessed through referral from the Caring in Devon Helpline. Call 03456 434 435 to discuss local support or ask about a referral.

Explore Bridgit Signpost Contact the service

Three useful questions

Do you look after someone who could not manage without your help?
How is that support affecting your own health, work or life?
Would you like information, a personal digital plan or contact from the carer service?

Make a good referral

Explain what the service does, gain the person’s consent, confirm their preferred contact method and record any accessibility, communication, risk or urgency information that will help us respond well.

GP practices and health teams

Ask who provides support at home and how that person is coping. Offer information they can take away, check the local referral criteria and agree the next step with them. Carers may need help for themselves as well as information about the person they support.

Schools, colleges and employers

Give carers a named person to talk to and a clear way to ask for practical support. Schools can use the Carers Trust Young Carers in Schools programme to improve identification and support. Employers and education teams can discuss how caring affects attendance, work or study and connect people with local advice.

Community organisations and local partners

Share clear information about the service, help people who cannot easily get online and ask about working together on local activities. Check contact details and eligibility before distributing resources so people reach the right team.

Councils, commissioners and funders

Contact the service to discuss local needs, partnership opportunities, its service offer and evidence of its work. Ask how carers help shape priorities and how outcomes are reviewed. Agree a named contact for any ongoing collaboration.

Give support straight away

Partners can share the local Bridgit app link immediately. This gives the carer a route to useful guidance while any personal referral is being processed.

Safeguarding and urgent situations

Do not use a routine carer referral as a substitute for emergency, clinical or safeguarding action. Follow your organisation’s procedures and contact the appropriate statutory service when risk is immediate.