Carers Votes Count!

A carers manifesto for local government 2012

Carers provide care to family members, other relatives, partners, friends and neighbours of any age affected by physical or mental illness, disability, frailty or substance misuse. They make a key contribution to healthy and sustainable communities.

There are almost 660,000 unpaid carers in Scotland - 1 in 8 of the Scottish population.1 There are more unpaid carers than the total health and social care workforces combined. It is estimated that by 2037, we will need 1 million unpaid carers in Scotland.2 115, 000 individuals care for 50 hours or more each week.3 There are an estimated 100,000 young carers, with 21% caring for 30-39 hours each week.4 28% of carers are aged 65 or over, with 38% caring for 50 hours or more each week.5 11% of carers are from black and minority ethnic communities.6 28% of households with a carer who cares for another household member are in the 20% most deprived areas in Scotland.7

Scotlands carers and young carers underpin the delivery of statutory services to the tune of 10.3 billion each year.8 There needs to be both national and local consensus on the issues that impact on their lives.

Promote
We want local authorities to recognise carers as equal partners in care. Without their contribution, older and disabled people would not be able to remain in their own homes and communities. Quite simply our health and social care system would collapse without unpaid carers. Many new strategies and policies focus on the needs of older and disabled people and their carers but, despite these, people tell us that their lives have not improved and they still struggle to care in often difficult circumstances. To promote and recognise the contribution of carers, we ask candidates and parties to commit to:

Work with carers and dedicated carers organisations to implement national policy that improves the lives of carers and those they care for at local level; this includes strategies for carers and young carers, self directed support, for people with autism, and for individuals affected by dementia and their families. Involve carers and their families in the planning, design and delivery of services which support both carer and cared for; this includes plans to integrate health and social care and in the delivery of the Change Fund including the 20% of funds committed to support carers. Appoint a Carers Champion at Executive Committee level who can oversee the work of local authorities in relation to carers and their families.

Protect
We want better services which support carers and those they care for and this means protecting funding. The specific contribution that carers make becomes more important in the current economic climate. Supporting carers both directly and indirectly (through services for people with care needs) will generate savings. Carers need access to information and advice, breaks from caring, training, emotional support and advocacy. Scotlands local and national carer organisations are a lifeline to unpaid carers and stability of funding means they can continue to work with every carer who needs accessible, dedicated support. Direct carer support is preventative and cost effective with a recent study showing that 5 million of investment in dedicated carer support services achieved over 70 million in social return and cost savings.. To help protect services that support carers and those they care for, we ask candidates and parties to commit to:

Consider sustainable funding for dedicated carers organisations, whilst working with them to ensure that local policies and services are fit for purpose and help local authorities achieve key outcomes.

Prioritise strategies which inform carers of their rights and offer carers training and skills development opportunities and breaks from caring. Such opportunities protect carers health and wellbeing and enable carers not only to continue caring but also to prepare for a life after caring. Directly involve carers and those they care for, and representative organisations, in the development of local services.

Prevent
Caring for someone can be emotionally and physically demanding. Earlier intervention and access to preventative services, including regular breaks from caring, can prevent carers and their families struggling on until they can no longer cope. Supporting carers reduces admission and re-admission to hospital or residential care and helps people to remain independent for longer; carers are able to continue caring in good health and have reduced risk of facing physical or emotional exhaustion. Carers describe the support they get from local carers organisations as both life-changing and life-saving. This type of support and a preventative focus in social and health care can reduce pressure on local services. To deliver improved preventative support, we ask candidates and parties to commit to:

Work closely with local carers organisations to develop and implement preventative approaches which enable carers to continue caring or, in the case of young carers, to reduce their caring role. Work with health partners, to ensure that the contribution of carers is properly acknowledged and supported within primary and acute care - recognising the impact on key outcomes for all statutory bodies. Ensure there are sufficient resources available to provide the quality, choice and volume of short break services to meet local needs, recognising cost savings generated as a result. Promote the preventative benefits and increase the availability of telecare, other new technology and re-ablement packages. Consider the contradictory impact of eligibility and charging policies and social care cuts on delivering preventative support. Are these really cost effective?

References
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Scottish Household Survey 2007/2008. Page 4 provides details of the number of carers in each local authority. It Could Be You, Carers UK, 2001 Census 2001 School Survey, Princess Royal Trust for Carers Scottish Household Survey 2007/2008 Census 2001 Scottish Household Survey 2007/2008 re. Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation Valuing Carers, Carers UK & Carers Scotland, 2011

Carers by local authority

Aberdeen City Aberdeenshire Angus Argyll & Bute Clackmannanshire Dumfries & Galloway Dundee City East Ayrshire East Dunbartonshire East Lothian East Renfrewshire Edinburgh, City of Eilean Siar Falkirk Fife Glasgow City 25,111 29,036 12,133 10,790 8,690 22,216 14,027 21,844 12,862 13,095 9,772 47,404 2,933 21,929 49,522 66,371 Highland Inverclyde Midlothian Moray North Ayrshire North Lanarkshire Orkney Islands Perth & Kinross Renfrewshire Scottish Borders Shetland Islands South Ayrshire South Lanarkshire Stirling West Dunbartonshire West Lothian 29,523 9,892 14,192 11,628 18,921 48,957 1,989 19,082 24,087 12,502 2,246 15,283 38,023 12,050 13,132 18,086

Further Information
More information about our local election campaign, further copies of our manifesto or materials for local groups are available on our websites or from one of the contacts listed below. Fiona Collie Carers Scotland T: 0141 445 3070 E. fiona.collie@carerscotland.org W: www.carerscotland.org Claire Cairns Coalition of Carers in Scotland T: 01786 825529 E: coalition@carersnet.org W: www.carersnet.org Lynn Williams The Princess Royal Trust for Carers T: 0141 285 7936 E. lwilliams@carers.org W. www.carers.org

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Published by Scotlands national carer organisations: Carers Scotland, the Coalition of Carers in Scotland, Crossroads Caring Scotland, MECOPP, the Princess Royal Trust for Carers, Shared Care Scotland and the Scottish Young Carers Services Alliance