Our working culture must value and support staff who are also carers - Sue McLintock

This year has been challenging for everyone, with a series of unprecedented disruptions to our usual way of life. Working from home has become the norm for many, with employers and staff having had to adapt quickly to changing circumstances.

Sue McLintock is Manager of the Carer Positive Awards.

For those caring for someone who may be older, frail, sick or disabled, the Covid-19 pandemic has meant already busy schedules have become even tougher and carers more isolated.

Recent polling by YouGov suggests the number of carers in Scotland increased by 390,000 during Covid-19 and lockdown, taking the potential total number of carers in Scotland to around 1.1 million. This has also meant that the number of people juggling work with caring has grown to around half a million.

We already know how challenging it can be for carers to manage their working and caring lives, and that without the right support, many feel stretched to breaking point and unable to continue in employment. The events of 2020 have added a further layer of complexity. For those new to caring, and for those whose caring role may have intensified, it is vital that we do all we can to provide a working culture which values and supports staff with caring responsibilities.Carers Scotland, through the Carer Positive initiative, works with organisations across Scotland to develop this type of support, with over 200 employers now recognised as ‘Carer Positive Employers’. In the face of ongoing challenges and competing priorities, it has been heartening to see how organisations have supported the health and wellbeing of their staff, recognising the benefits of greater working flexibility, and embracing new opportunities for online communication.

Reaching out to carers is now more important than ever, but it can be difficult – often because people do not see themselves as carers – ‘it’s just something they do’. In a workplace context one of the first steps employers can take is to encourage carers to identify themselves, and therefore begin to discuss the emotional and practical support they may need to manage their working lives alongside their caring journey.

We are delighted to see the launch of the Scottish Government campaign aimed at helping carers access the support they need to look after their wellbeing. Encouraging people to recognise themselves as carers is a crucial part of the campaign. Developed in conjunction with carers, the campaign features Still Game’s Jane McCarry, who herself is a ‘sandwich’ carer, caring for her mother and juggling childcare and work responsibilities. Like many, Jane didn’t see herself as a carer, but through the campaign she wants others to be aware of the range of support that exists for people who are new to caring, and those who have been caring for much longer.

There’s a range of support measures available nationally and locally to help improve carers’ health and wellbeing, with local carer centres across Scotland offering sessions such as virtual support groups, information, advice and online relaxation sessions.

I would urge employers and anyone who is caring for someone to look at the range of support available by visiting nhsinform.scot/caring or calling 0800 011 3200.

Sue McLintock is Manager of the Carer Positive Awards