Cash for carers who need a break

THOUSANDS of carers are to benefit from a Scottish Government fund of almost £1 million to help them take short breaks.

The pot of cash worth £954,000 has been established for the 58 organisations supporting the 3,500 adult carers and young carers in Scotland, looking after disabled children, people with dementia, mental health problems and other long-term conditions.

One of the organisations that will benefit from the funding will be Perth and Kinross Association of Voluntary Service (PKAVS), which is to receive £12,000 to create a homework club for young carers.

Raymond Jamieson, PKAVS’s Young Carers Project Co-ordinator, said: “This club will give the children a safe, quiet environment to do their homework. It will also provide them with an opportunity to socialise with their peers outwith the caring responsibilities they face at home.”

The money is part of the Scottish Government’s Carers and Young Carers Strategy, published last year.

Minister for Public Health, Michael Matheson, said: “The provision of short breaks is hugely important to carers and young carers, giving them a much needed break from the stressful demands of supporting people close to them who are ill or disabled.”