Workshop: Working together to develop carer friendly communities
Wednesday 11 October 12.10 – 1.10 Solent Hall
"With an ageing population, and more people living longer with disabilities into older age, attention continues to turn to how we support this positive development within our society," observes Carers UK's Director of Policy and Public Affairs Emily Holzhausen OBE. She considers the evolving role of family and friends in providing care and how their growing numbers might they be better supported.
Ask anyone caring, unpaid, for family and friends, and they will tell you they need support and to be recognised. It’s an oversight in the workplace (colleagues and managers), in communities, businesses and even in hospitals where people juggling work or school commitments with caring obligations often go unrecognised and unsupported.
With funding from the Department of Health, Carers UK has worked with the Carers Trust to develop a new suite to materials, including animations, designed to encourage the development of a Carer Passport scheme in a variety of settings.
Carers UK’s feedback from carers has been incredible - 1,700 carers responded within a matter of hours to tell us that they thought the concept of a Carer Passport would bring welcome recognition and some support.
Drawing on local expertise and delivery of existing schemes, it is clear that a Carer Passport has the power to deliver against several local government objectives. These objectives include implementation of the Care Act 2014 and supporting families, the future of the local workforce and retention of skilled workers (many of whom may be juggling work and care), successful support within hospitals facilitating better care, and engaging the whole community and local business in supporting carers.
The evidence from those who have implemented Carer Passports includes:
- A reduction in carer stress
- Stronger pathways to support
- Improved relations between staff and families on wards, and falls reductions on wards
- Improved employee retention – where a Carer Passport supports caring and employment
Carers UK and Carers Trust are launching the first part of this work at NCAS – focussing particularly on employment – supporting those juggling work and care and alsdo in schools and FE/HE colleges.
From 11 October 2017, you can find content about Carers Passports here.