This book is written for health and social services staff at all levels, including those involved in policy making and management. It sets out a clear framework for understanding carers' needs and describes practical ways to begin to meet them. Each chapter deals with one major need expressed by carers and contains: explanation of what carers' need; suggestions for reviewing local practice; discussion of practical initiatives for carers; ideas for developing policy. The book also contains examples of good practice and a directory of local initiatives mentioned in the text. A separate leaflet "Carers' needs - a 10 point plan for carers" provides a basic summary and is available free.