How can the web support carers?

This document has been written to act as a resource for all those involved in developing or providing online services for carers and their families. Many organisations and local authorities are currently exploring how the internet can be used to reach more carers and to provide services more effectively. This guide offers advice and direction on the creation and expansion of websites and other online services for carers, based on the experiences of providers and the views of carers themselves. This guide also includes information about barriers to accessing the internet and suggestions on how to overcome these issues; however the aim is not to advocate the replacement of real world services with websites. Online services should complement and add to the support that is already available, increasing carers’ options rather than reducing them. The following pages contain a detailed exploration of the advantages and challenges of providing carer support online, as well as the pros and cons for the main types of web services that are currently being offered or developed. The recommendations contained in this report are the result of discussions with various stakeholders and extensive consultation with carers on what they like or dislike about particular websites and what additional online resources they would like to see developed.