Carers Rights Day
Today is Carers Rights Day, a national campaign to raise awareness on the rights of unpaid adult carers and young carers and to let carers know where to get support. The theme this year is Caring Costs – to highlight the many ways caring can cost, from wellbeing to financial costs, particularly with the current cost of living crisis.
A carer, also known as an unpaid carer, is generally defined as someone who provides, or intends to provide, care for another individual. They may care for an older person, someone who is disabled, has a long-term illness, mental health issue or is affected by alcohol or drug misuse. Adult carers are aged 18 and over and young carers are children or young people under the age of 18, or 18 if still at school.
Caring includes physical, practical, and emotional support. It could be for a few hours a week, such as picking up prescriptions and preparing meals, to providing emotional or personal care, day and night, 365 days a year. We all probably know someone who provides care to another person. Some people don’t realise they are carers and consider the support they provide to be “just something they do” for family or a friend. It is estimated that there are approximately 800,000 unpaid carers in Scotland, with many juggling works with caring responsibilities, and nearly a third of carers say their mental health has suffered.
Carers’ Rights and Legislation
The Carers (Scotland) Act 2016 came into force in 2018 and provided new rights to carers such as an Adult Carer Support Plan or Young Carer Statement if under age 18, or 18 and still at school. These identify carers’ needs and personal outcomes and are available to carers of all ages, no matter how many hours of care they provide. Other Carers Act duties include supporting carers by means of local eligibility criteria, preparation of local carer strategies, information and advice service for carers and a duty to involve carers in the hospital discharge of the person they care for. For more information visit Aberdeenshire. Council - Carers;' Rights and Legislation.
Carer Support Organisations
Quarriers are commissioned to provide a carer support service to unpaid adult carers and young carers in Aberdeenshire. Quarriers can support carers to complete an Adult Carer Support Plan or Young Carer Statement, which look at the carer’s roles, how it affects them and what support might be needed. Quarriers can also offer advice, information, and resources to carers, develops skills and confidence, assist carers to complete an emergency plan and provide opportunities to meet other carers. Meetings can be online or in person and include carer support cafes, mindfulness groups and activity sessions for young carers. For more information visit Quarriers Aberdeenshire Carer Support Service, Tel 01467 538700 or email aberdeenshirecarers@quarriers.org.uk
Quarriers also provide carer support for adult carers and young carers in Moray and adult carers in Aberdeen City. For other local authority areas or to join the Aberdeenshire Council Carer Support mailing list contact carersupport@aberdeenshire.gov.uk
Carer Support Information can also be found on Aberdeenshire Council Caring For Others, NHS Grampian Information For Carers, and Carers UK / Carers Scotland webpages.
