Carers Rights Day – helping you find your way

by | Nov 20, 2018 | Carer News

Carers Rights Day is a national campaign that brings organisations together to help carers in their local community know their rights and find out how to get the support they are entitled to.carers rights day logo

Carers Rights Day 2020 is coming upon Thursday 26th November 2020. Get involved!

How can YOU help carers?

There are an estimated 68,000 unpaid carers in East Sussex, many of whom are not aware of their rights, or what support they are entitled to. You can help spread the word by sharing posters, social media posts or join in our Carers Rights Day events. If you are a business in East Sussex, how about offering a special deal on Carers Rights Day for carers, or get involved on social media by posting a photo supporting carers?

Hear our CEO, Jennifer Twist, chat to Hailsham FM about Carers Rights Day

Download posters to put up in your workplace or community

You can print any of the postera below to share online, in your office, or put up on your community noticeboard, doctor’s surgery or library.Every single poster helps raise awareness of unpaid carers.

Post a photo of yourself, you group, friends or family with the poster on our social media. Tag us in and use #CarersRightsDay. Find us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook

Support our work

Care for the Carers relies on donations to run vital services, including our activities programme. By fundraising this Carers Rights Day we can reach more carers, let them know their rights, and ensure they receive the support they need. There are so many ways to support our work. Find out more.

Did you know as an unpaid carer you are entitled to…?

  1. The right to take a ‘reasonable’ amount of time off work to deal with an emergencyor an unforeseen matter involving a dependent (someone who depends on you for care).The time off is unpaid, unless your employer is willing to give paid time off as a contractual right.
  2. Have your views heardand taken into consideration by Adult Social Care when deciding how best to meet the needs of the person you care for.Having the right information at the right time can make a huge difference. Care for the Carers can suggest things to consider for gathering together the right information in advance, for when you might need it, as well as how to access timely information.East Sussex County Council’s information booklet ‘Do you look after someone?’ describes the help available through its commissioned services if you look after an adult in an unpaid caring role.Care for the Carers can also signpost you and make a referral to various organisations that can support you as an unpaid carer.
  3. Move between local authority areas and still receive the same level of support.
    The Care Act’s’Continuity of Care’ information notes that carers should be supported if they need to move between local authority areas in England, without suffering a gap in the care they need when they arrive in the new area.‘Continuity’ means making sure that, when an adult who is receiving care and support in one area of England moves home, they will continue to receive care on the day of their arrival in the new area. This means that there should be no gap in care and support when people choose to move.In any of these circumstances, the adult (or someone on their behalf) must tell the local authority where they plan to move (the ‘second authority’) of their intentions.
  4. Not be discriminated againston the basis ofyourassociation with a disabled person
    Examples might be if as a carer you were refused entry to a venue because you were with someone who is disabled -both the person with the disability andyouwould potentially have been discriminated against. Another example, is if an employer denies you promotion because of your caring role. For more information about your rights, contact Carers UK.
  5. Request flexible working
    All employees have the right to ask for flexible working after they have worked for the same employer for 26 weeks (six months), as long as they haven’t already made a flexible working request within the last 12 months.Flexible working requests should be made in writing and should include details of the revised working pattern you are seeking, how you think this may affect your employer’s business and how you think this request can be dealt with. Employers must have a sound business reason for rejecting a request.NB If you’re an employer reading this and are looking for information about how you can support your employees who are carers, please contact Employers for Carers for more information. Depending on the nature of your organisation, you might also wish to consider signing up to our Carers Card scheme.
  6. A carer’s assessment
    If you’re looking after someone who couldn’t manage without your help, you have a right to have your own needs assessed, even if the person you are looking after has had an assessment of their own. The assessment will look at the care you provide and how this affects your life. It will consider the things you want to achieve in your own day-to-day life, such as work, training, social activities and well-being. It must also consider other important issues including whether you are able or willing to carry on caring, and it will inform you about what services and support are available to you.Carers can complete an online assessment form or contact Adult Social Care direct. Care for the Carers can support you if you would like help with completing the assessment form.
  7. Young Carers (under 18 years of age)are entitled to a ‘young carers’ needs assessment’to decide what kind of help they and the family might need. The assessment must decide whether it is appropriate for the young person to care for someone else, and thisincludes taking into account whether they want to be a carer. Consideration must be given to education, training, leisure opportunities and the young person’s views about their future.

(Are you under 16 or looking for support for young carers? Please contact East Sussex Young Carers/IMAGO, which supports Young Carers aged 5-18 who are responsible for caring for a family member with a long term illness or disability, prioritising Young Carers caring for a parent with a mental health or drug and alcohol issue.Telephone:0300 777 2011 or email:info@eastsussexyoungcarers.org )

Guidelines for staff in hospital settings

You can also see the Guidelines for the practice of involving carers and carers admission, which aim to help hospital staff to understand their role in involving carers with care and discharge planning for the people they care for. They also set out the steps staff should take when carers are admitted to hospital.

The Coming out of hospital online resource from Carers UK gives you information about your rights as a carer during the hospital discharge procedure, the steps that should be followed before the person you care for is discharged, and what you can do if things go wrong.

To find out more about the services unpaid carers are entitled to and to speak to a support worker, contact our Gateway service by calling01323 738390, or by emailing info@cftc.org.uk.

Other useful resources about Carers Rights

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