CRESS

Supporting Carers to Plan, Prepare and Take a Break. This service is a free support service for unpaid carers living in Warwickshire.

Caring can mean lots of different things, and no two situations look the same. It can be deeply meaningful at times, and it can also be exhausting, unpredictable, and overwhelming. Many carers tell us they don’t get the chance to pause until they’re already running on empty, and CRESS is here to change that.

CRESS is designed to help you plan ahead, access free support hours, and feel more confident that help is available when your caring situation changes.

What the service offers

CRESS provides carers with free, pre-bookable support hours that can be used to give you time away from your caring role. These hours can be planned in advance or used flexibly if circumstances change.

Carers may use up to 36 hours across the year to:

• Attend medical or personal appointments
• Take a planned break from caring
• Manage changes in the health or needs of the person you care for
• Prepare for increased care needs or additional services
• Reduce stress and prevent your situation from becoming overwhelming

Sometimes that time is for something practical, and sometimes it’s simply space to breathe, rest, or reset.

Planning for the future

CRESS also supports carers to think about both current needs and what might change in the future. This includes helping you recognise when a change in circumstances, health, or condition may impact your caring role, and supporting you to plan next steps. This may involve preparing for additional support, exploring other services, or planning for significant life changes, including end-of-life care. You don’t have to have everything figured out; we can take it step by step with you.

CRESS also includes a supportive assessment and emergency planning, so you feel more prepared and less alone if things change unexpectedly.

Book Your FREE Hours Today

Don’t wait until things become difficult — use your FREE support hours now.

Call: 0800 197 5544