Helping Carers to balance Work and

Caring

Jill AkroydProject Manager, Carers and

Employment, Hertfordshire County Council

Contents

• Definition of a carer

• Key legislation

• Carer statistics

• What carers need

• “Working for Carers” DVD

• Contact details

Definition of a Carer

• *Carers look after family, partners or friends in need of help because they are ill, frail or have a disability. The care they provide is unpaid. *Definition by Carers UK

• Useful to make distinction between carer and careworker in policies/documents

Key Legislation

• Work and Families Act 2006Carers have legal right to request flexible working

• Childcare Act 2006LAs required to provide appropriate childcare for disabled children to enable parents to access work or learning

• Carers (Equal Opportunities) Act 2004 – section 2Carers Assessments to cover work and learning aspirations

Working carers statistics

• 3 million working carers• 1 in 5 gives up work to care

from a survey of 3000 carers:

72% all carers - financially worse off since starting to care33% in debt53% health affected by financial worries

• Demography – will need extra 3 million carers over next 30 yrs

• Statistics from Carers UK – 31/5/07

What carers need

Learning from 273 carers assisted in a one-stop shop service:

• Carer Assessments and Care Services (24%) –

• Financial Advice (21%)-

• Training and learning 16%)-

• Starting work (16%) –

• HR issues (15%) –

• General information (8%)

“Working for Carers”DVD

• Hear directly from carers about balancing work and care……..

• The full version of the DVD plus supporting training material will be available on the following websites from the end of July/early August:www.acecarers.org.ukwww.public-i.info

Contact details

jill.akroyd@hertscc.gov.uk

O1707 280659

Jill Akroyd

Project Manager

Carers and Employment

Hertfordshire County Council

Adult Care Services

Users and Carers

Performance and Workforce Development

Mount Pleasant, Mount Pleasant Lane

Hatfield, Herts. AL5 9PU