carersnet: supporting Scotland's carers
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carersnet: supporting Scotland's carers |
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NEWSThe Spending Review and Carers This years spending review outlines the Scottish Government's priorities and spending plans for the next three years. Overall, very little money has been ringfenced with more control passing over to local authorities to decide how they wish to allocate resources.This means that we are unable to put a figure on what new resources are available to carers. Carers feature in several places within the Spending Review Report and are mentioned within the high level targets and key spending priorities. Carers also feature in the concordat, which is the deal the government has agreed with COSLA and which local authorities can choose to sign up to. The terms of the concordat mean local authorities who sign up to it must freeze council tax for the next year, but will receive additional funding in compensation. The one area where resources have been committed to benefit carers is in the area of training and carer support where the government has pledged to: expand support for carers, including carer training and local carer centres (£1.0m/£3.0m/£5.0m).
Respite Care Guidance Have Your Say! The Scottish Government has recently published their Draft Guidance on Respite Care and is inviting the views of interested parties,including carers and local carer organsiations. The guidance was developed by the Care 21 Respite Task Group and replaces the 1996 respite guidance. Its purpose is to help local service planners improve respite provision in line with the overall principles of enabling self care and working with carers as partners in care, by:
It also recognises the important role of carers as ëpartners in careí and requires greater carer involvement in the planning of services. These principles are vital in improving current respite provision and ensuring any new resources have an impact for carers at a local level. You can contribute to the consultation in one of the following ways:
The following papers are available:
New Investment for Young Carers and Training for Carers A national festival for young carers across Scotland will now take place thanks to a new funding package announced by Minister for Public Health Shona Robison in June 2007. £200,000 has been pledged to establish the festival, which will give young carers a break from their responsibilities and an opportunity to come together and air their views and concerns. A further £200,000 will also help deliver crucial training to give carers the knowledge and skills they need to cope more effectively. Minister for Public Health Shona Robison said: 'This announcement today represents the Scottish government’s first step This festival will provide young carers with the opportunity to meet with decision-makers, including MSPs, to have their say on the issues that affect them. Carer training is also crucial in supporting carers with their caring responsibilities. We acknowledge that more needs to be done to support carers to enable them to continue caring, whilst protecting their own physical, emotional and mental health. I am confident that the funding for crucial training will help us address these issues. I look forward to working with carers and the carer organisation as we drive both of these initiatives forward.' Appeal for cross-party support for carers At a debate on health and wellbing on Thursday 28th June, Nicola Sturgeon, Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing, appealed to all parties to work together to improve support for both people with dementia and unpaid carers, saying: ‘I will outline briefly two specific areas in which we can reach out across the chamber and make common cause for Scotland. One challenge that we face is our ageing population, which is why the Government is committed to making services for dementia a national priority. I hope that we can count on members' support on that. Likewise, I hope that we can work together to improve the position of carers in Scotland, who play a significant and often underappreciated role in health terms. We want to make rapid, significant and sustainable improvements in support for carers, including in respite care. I hope that there will be a cross-party consensus on that.’ The Department of Health want to hear from carers. What would make a positive difference or improve your life as a carer? Have you got an idea that could change carers' lives? The Department of Health wants to hear from you to make sure carers' views are at the heart of the governments new carers' strategy. They have set up an Idea Tree where you can post a message, tell them your ideas and read and comment on what other people have said. All ideas are welcome - big and small. The tree will be live until the end of September 2007. To visit the Ideas Tree, follow this link Scotland's Carers Manifesto 2007 Scotland's Carers Manifesto was launched at a meeting of the Coalition of Carers o The manifesto identifies six rights and entitlements:
For a copy of the manifesto, follow this link Paper copies of the manifesto can be ordered through The Coalition of Carers in Scotland by phoning 01786 822170. Update on Scotland’s Carers Manifesto Campaign Since it’s launch in December 2006, carers and carer organisations have been working hard to promote Scotland’s Carers Manifesto in the following ways:
The first step of our campaign was to secure commitments to carers in the main political parties manifestos and we have achieved significant success in this aim. Full details are available by downloading our report ‘Manifesto Commitments’ We are now aiming to secure an investment in carer services from this years spending review. We will keep you up to date with campaign news Meetings of the Coalition of Carers in Scotland The Coalition of Carers holds 4 meetings a year throughout Scotland. Meetings are open to all members with each carer organisation invited to attend with one staff member and two carers. The Coaliton is managed by an Executive Committee who meet approx 6 times a year. It's members include four carer representatives and five managers from member organisations. For a copy of of the most recent set of minutes, follow this link. If you would like a copy of any previous sets of minutes you can e-mail: coalition@carersnet.org or Telephone: 01786 825 529. The last meeting of the Coalition of Carers was on the 26th of September in Glasgow. The theme in the morning was ‘The Personalisation Agenda’. Presentations were given by Ben Coburn from the Scottish Government on the implementation of Changing Lives, the 21st Century Social Work Review. Members then heard from Emma Miller of the Joint Improvement Team about the Carer Defined Evalution Tool. The theme for the afternoon session was 'Your Voice Counts' Members were asked to contribute their views to the review of the UK Government's Strategy for Carers. The following papers are available:
Our next meeting will be held on Wednesday 28th November at Adelaides Church Centre, 209 Bath Street, Glasgow. The theme of the meeting is Respite Guidance ...Have Your Say! This is your chance to help to influence the future of respite care in Scotland by taking part in the consultation on the new respite care guidance. The guidance aims to improve respite provision through better planning, more preventative support and more personalised services. It also recognises the important role carers play as 'partners in care' and requires greater carer involvement in the planning of services. These principles are vital in improving current respite provision and ensuring new resources have an impact for carers at a local level. The following papers are available:
To book a place please e-mail coalition@carersnet.org or Tel: 01786 825529
Further information will be available nearer the time CARE 21 : The Future of Unpaid Care in Scotland Commissioned by the Scottish Executive, the report, "Care 21: The future of unpaid care in Scotland" was launched on 30 September 2005 by Lewis Macdonald, Deputy Minister for Health and Community Care. This study is the first of its kind in Europe and the report has major significance for carers in Scotland and for the future of unpaid caring. The report reflects the views of carers, with over 5,000 carers taking part in surveys, and many also taking part in interviews, focus and stakeholder groups to inform the research for the report. The report makes 22 recommendations. These recommendations are not just aimed at the Scottish Executive but also at the UK government, NHS Scotland, local and health authorities and the statutory and voluntary sector and carer organisations. The report projects a bold vision for carers in Scotland - based on a strong framework of rights - where the contribution of carers to society, including the economic impact, is fully recognised and where carers are fully included in a society which will provide them with adequate support. Click here if you would like to read the full report CARE 21: A Summary Guide for Carers These guides have been produced jointly by Carers Scotland, The Coalition of Carers Scotland, Crossroads Scotland, The Princess Royal Trust for Carers and the Scottish Carers Alliance. For more information, or if you wish to order printed copies of any of these guides you can e-mail: coalition@carersnet.org or Telephone: 01786 825 529. The Scottish Executive launched it's response to Care 21 in April 2006. It was broadly welcomed by carers and carer organisations and set out the following:
The Care 21 Respite Working Group held it's first meeting in June 2006. The group is scheduled to convene for one year, during which time it will report to the spending review and update existIng respite guidance. It will also consider the need for a respite strategy.
Network of National Carer Organisations The network of national carer organisations meets every 6 weeks to work jointly and exercise collective leafership for planning, development, monitoring and evaluation of policy and legislation affecting carers. To promote effective inter-agency working with the Scottish Executive and across all sectors and to agree where possible, collective responses to consultation and policy development. It's membership comprises the following organisations: Carers Scotland, Coaltion of Carers, Crossroads Scotland, Princess Royal Trust for Carers and Shared Care Scotland. For a copy of the groups terms of reference, follow this link. For a copy of the most recent set of minutes, follow this link. If you would like a copy of any previous sets of minutes you can e-mail: coalition@carersnet.org or Telephone: 01786 825 529. NHS Carer Information Strategies The guidance for NHS Carer Information Strategies was launched by the Scottish Executive in April 2006. NHS Boards should have submited their strategies to the Executive by December 2006 in order for the Strategies to be implemented in April 2007. For a full copy of the guidance, follow this link. For a copy of the paper on best practice examples, follow this link A Work and Families Bill has now entered its way into Parliament which will give
carers the right to request flexible working from their employers. This will give
carers the same rights to flexible working as parents with young children currently
have.
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©carersnet. This page was last updated: 22 July 2007. This web site uses Portable Document Format - PDF. Sight difficulties? Try 'Access Adobe'. Please note: links to external web sites and to our publications will open in separate windows.What did you think about the information on this page? Tell us by email: coalition@carersnet.org |
n December 8th 2006 ‘Carers Rights Day’. The manifesto was developed by the Coaliton along with Carers Scotland, Crossroads Scotlands, The Princess Royal Trust for Carers, Shared Care Scotland and the Young Carers Alliance. This six point manifesto aims to improve the quality and life chances of Scotland’s half a million unpaid carers. It challenges the political parties to recognise the immense contribution that carers make to society by committing to action to support carers in their role and address inequalities.