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Luke Clements is full of praise for the guidance accompanying the Carers and Disabled Children Act, which spells out, among other things, which carers are entitled to assessments and services.

Examines the way in which a vital part of the system penalises carers, particularly parents whose children need supported independence. Looks at the often obstructive way housing benefit rules are interpreted, and at a recent legal decision which may make life easier for parents wanting to provide accommodation for their children.

Supervised community treatment, to be introduced under the new Mental Health Act 2007, is intended to help revolving door patients stay out of hospital by requiring them to accept treatment in the community. This article highlights fears that this may increase the burden on carers.  Carers will not be involved in the decision behind giving a treatment order and may not understand what support is available to them.

In early 1999 the government announced money was to be spent on giving carers respite breaks. Reports on how the money, despite coming through to local authorities, has not reached the carers themselves.

It is bad enough that carers witness the decline of the person closest to them, but to have to attend to their every need and be on the receiving end of their anger and frustration is worse. The author explains how one care home has helped her mother cope with her living loss.

In February 2009 the government set out its plan to meet one of the biggest challenges facing England's health and social care system - dementia. The national dementia strategy is one year old but a key study has found progress is slow. Vern Pitt visited Croydon – which has long been held up as a leader in dementia care – to ask professionals and carers about how the strategy’s objectives and the challenges posed by the condition are being tackled.