Making Carers Count 2022-24 evaluation: Invitation to tender

Carers Trust is inviting suitable applicants to tender to complete an independent evaluation of the Making Carers Count programme.

The evaluation will inform the delivery and structure of support available for unpaid carers, specifically those who are under-represented in accessing health and social care support and have faced additional barriers due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Making Carers Count programme is led by Carers Trust, working in partnership with Carers UK and local carer focused organisations on the delivery of UK wide programme outputs between January 2021 - March 2024.

Making Carers Count is funded by the Covid-19 Support Fund.

The evaluation objectives are: 1.

To evaluate the intended and unintended results (positive and negative) of the Making Carers Count programme, including: • on the lives of specific under-represented carer communities.

Insights and feedback from carers from these communities is central to the identification and evidencing of effective strategies, techniques, enabling approaches and support packages, • the experiences of organisations involved in the delivery of Making Carers Count.

This will include all direct programme partners, indirect beneficiary organisations across the UK and those who may be involved in development and capacity building activities.

This will specifically examine: o what the programme has enabled for programme partners (direct and indirect) and any other identified stakeholders, o what they have learned about their organisation and the needs of the targeted community members, o what can be sustained, and the ongoing support needed to do so. • the role of partnership working (national and local) on the delivery of Making Carers Count.

2.

To deliver an interim report that presents a clear and targeted set of recommendations which can be used to inform remaining programme delivery.

3.

To identify a clear set of principles that enable those interested in delivering inclusive carer support to replicate.

The required reports should be delivered as follows: Interim evaluation findings - by 30 November 2022 Learning and Recommendations draft paper - by 31 January 2024 Final report - May/June 2024 We welcome bidders' proposals of suitable methodologies and approaches in conducting this evaluation.

Submissions should be received to grants@carers.org by 23:59, 24 May 2022.

The subject line should be "Making Carers Count Evaluation - [name of consultancy partner]"