In 2008, the Scottish Government allocated £200,000 for the development of a pilot project for carer training. The aim was to build on existing training initiatives and develop a best practice model to inform the future strategy for carer training across Scotland.
The two themes of Rural and Remote Carers and Black and Ethnic Minority Carers were selected as pilot projects and the carer organisations Highland Community Care Forum and MECOPP agreed to facilitate the work.
The project was managed by a steering group, representing the National Carer Organisations and facilitated by Carers Scotland. Evaluation of the projects was undertaken by Caledonian and Dundee University.
The following reports provide an analysis of the outcomes from each project:
Appendixes:
- BME Carers: Development Plan
- BME Carers: Partnership Agreement
- BME Carers : Summary of Courses Delivered
- Rural Carers: Development Plan
- Rural Carers: Scoping Report
- Rural Carers: Course Descriptors
- Rural Carers: Carer Feedback
- Rural Carers: Transcripts
For more information contact Ann Conlin at Carers Scotland. Email: Anne.Conlin@carerscotland.org or Telephone: 0141 445 3070
The Scottish Government is currently developing a National Carers Strategy for Scotland, to replace the Strategy published in 1999. The new strategy is scheduled for publication in May 2010. The Coalition is a member of the working group which is responsible for developing the strategy. The working group includes representatives from the Scottish Government, national carer organisations, other voluntary sector organisations, health, local authorities, COSLA and SWIA. The carer representative on the group, Catherine Paterson, provides a link to a wider Carer Reference Group.
There is also a Young Carers Strategy Planning Group which will ensure the needs of young carers are represented in Scotland’s National Carers Strategy.
Once the strategy is available for consultation the Coalition will be making sure carers and local carer organisations have an opportunity to contribute their views, to ensure the strategy is representative of the needs and wishes of carers in Scotland.
If you would like to be kept informed of the progress of the strategy, please e-mail your details to, coalition@carersnet.org. Further information is available by following the links below:
The government has recently launched a carer website which includes updates on the progress of the strategy, as well as information on roadshows and consultation events. For further information, follow the link below:
New Scottish Government Website
Previously known as the Respite Working Group, this group has been re-convened to work on the following areas:
- The revised Strategy for Carers in Scotland.
- The manifesto commitment to provide "carers in the greatest need a guaranteed annual entitlement to breaks from caring".
- Monitoring the impact of the Guidance on Short Breaks published jointly by COSLA and the Scottish Government last year.
Further information is available by following the links below:
To ensure the views of carers are at the heart of the development of Scotland’s National Carers Strategy a Carers Reference Group has been established.
The remit of this carer panel, drawn from carers of different geographical, cultural and caring communities in Scotland, is to act as a reference and scrutiny group for the development of a new national carers strategy for Scotland.
In particular, the Panel will inform the work of the Strategy Group and the future direction for carers, by ensuring strategic objectives will:
- Reflect the needs of unpaid carers, including the specific needs of different groups of carers, recognising carer as key partners in planning and in the provision of care.
- Address current priorities of carers, and develop short-term and long-term priorities for unpaid carer support for all relevant groups and services.
- Promote positive outcomes for unpaid carers and those they care for, focusing on the outcomes for carers, identified in the framework developed by the National Carer Organisations and the Joint Improvement Team. (as set out in the paper: The National Carers Organisations: Positive Outcomes for Carers)
- Promote increasing delivery of personalised support to carers and equitable access to services and support, as far as is possible.
- Support and inform the development of local carers’ support services, maintaining a partnership focus.
- Include a focus on effective implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the strategy.
Further information is available by following the links below:
'Give us a Break: Turning Commitments into Action' has been produced jointly with Shared Care Scotland in order to make people aware of important developments in short break and respite services. The guide outlines developments in relation to the new Short Break Guidance and the government's commitment to delivering 10,000 additional respite weeks.
Please feel free to distribute this guide to carers and frontline staff. Paper copies are available free of charge from The Coalition of Carers in Scotland.
On the 2nd of April 2009, the Minister for Women and Equality, Harriet Harman MP, announced that the Equality Bill will be extended to include a ban on discrimination based on association with disability. This move will help to protect carers looking after someone with a disability, in relation to employment and in the provision of goods, facilities and services. Below is an excerpt from her written statement:
'I am today announcing that we have decided to extend the prohibition against associative and perceptive direct discrimination and harassment based on association and perception in respect of race, gender reasignment, disability, sexual orientation, religion or belief and age and in relation to both employment and areas beyond this, such as goods facilities and services'
This decision is largely a result of the case taken by Sharon Coleman who claimed that she was discriminated against and harassed by her employer because she had a disabled son. Initially, it was unclear whether she would be protected under existing law, or if it only applied to people with a disability. However, The European Court of Justice ruled that she should be protected by law because of her association with disability.
The new Equality Bill will now clarify this position in law and will ensure that carers are protected from similar incidents of harassment and discrimination.
The Short Breaks 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:
- improving respite planning;
- shifting the balance towards preventative support;
- personalising support to improve outcomes both for carers and those with care needs.
It also recognises the important role of carers 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 any new resources have an impact for carers at a local level.
For copies of the final guidance, full version and summary version, follow the links below: