Phil Orton, Chief People Officer, Lydia Woodall, Service Manager and Cath Magee, Area Manager, Making Space
The charity Carers UK estimates there are around 10.6 million unpaid carers in the UK, who support others living with illness, frailty, disability, a mental health condition or substance use.
Research from NHS England reveals that many people don’t recognise their role as unpaid care. But in failing to acknowledge their value, unpaid carers are negating the wealth of skills and knowledge they possess. And, when their caring duties come to an end, this valuable experience is often lost.
As health and social care providers, there are three fundamental areas in which we can support former carers and help them to move on: transition, recognition and retention.
Transition
Caring responsibilities rarely end suddenly – for carers of people with conditions that deteriorate rather than improve, the loss is gradual. If residential care is required, carers often tell us the sudden change in circumstances leaves them feeling unwanted and lonely.
In residential settings, care professionals should help carers to recognise that their role is not redundant – just different. The carer is still the expert in understanding the needs of their loved one: they are best placed to champion their cause and to help professionals deliver personalised care.
Practical support is always welcome – carers who express an interest should be invited to volunteer and offered training. As well as taking the first steps to formalising their skills, the carer will learn from professional support workers, who in turn will gain valuable personal insight.
For carers keen to take a more active role in consultations, providers are ideally placed to signpost them to local healthcare trusts, commissioners and local authorities. Being listened to and sharing lived experiences that contribute to improvements in care are validating.
For carers whose responsibilities end when health improves, the transition can be just as jarring. In these circumstances, helping them to recognise their value and harness their skills can be a very positive experience.
Recognition
We can help former carers to formalise their skills and experience to create compelling CVs, and to build the confidence to apply for paid roles within our organisations. Many members of our Making Space team found us by using our services, and we highlight training and employment opportunities to all our groups.
Bereaved carers have just eight weeks before losing their carer’s allowance. While grieving for their loved one and their loss of purpose, they also have to tackle the job market. As care providers and as employers, we can help to facilitate this life change by ensuring our relationship with carers doesn’t come to an end.
Carers who don’t want to enter the job market shouldn’t be overlooked – their experience is equally as valuable within the care sector. Training need not be reserved for those seeking employment: it can also benefit those who want to offer peer-to-peer support, undertake advocacy work or simply befriend others going through similar experiences.
Not all former carers will want to enter employment; not all will want to speak for others. In our experience, what they do all want is to be listened to, to be recognised, and to be supported in the choices they make.
Retention
As the health and social care sector, we should be setting the standards for recruitment and retention of former carers.
It’s incredibly important to remember that before people became carers, they likely had their own careers. It would be very short-sighted of us as employers to focus only on the (valuable and valid) skills gained from caring and ignore any previous experience.
The care sector offers many roles which aren’t focused solely on care and support: maintenance, management, catering, activities and administration. We also need people who can advocate for carers on our boards.
When we have strong connections with people who understand the value of caring, we have a rich and varied pool of talent with the values and skills we need in care settings. At Making Space, we promote vacancies to our carer groups as a priority: we already know they share our values, everything else can be taught.
We are the caring sector: we have a responsibility to drive change and create a cultural shift so employers across the board recognise and reward the skills and experience of carers.
