Carers Rights Day 2021
Today is Carers Rights Day, and we are helping to share the key message from our friends at Caring Together – please make sure people caring for family members get the support they need.
Here at Fosters some of our current and former colleagues have been, and continue to be, carers for family members, and we wish to thank them again for the role they played in helping us shape our carers policy and create the concept of our carer and well-being champions. Our champions are staff members from across the firm who provide informal listening ears and support for colleagues to be able to talk about the issues affecting them.
Back in May 2020 Fosters were delighted to become the first Norfolk company to receive the ‘Carer Friendly Tick Award – Employer’ in recognition of these initiatives to help support colleagues who are family carers.
The award was given by Caring Together, a network partner of Carers Trust, who provide services and support for carers and their families across the eastern counties, including Norfolk.
As part of this annual awareness day, Caring Together wish to help increase the awareness of the role of carers, which is often hidden, and the support available to them.
Miriam Martin, chief executive of Caring Together said: “Many carers are facing huge pressures, but help is available. Depending on their situation it may be emotional support, help to have some time away from their caring role, practical advice, opportunities to meet others in a similar situation, or help to attend medical appointments that they need.
“Three in five of us are likely to become a carer at some point in our lives, with many more of us likely to need the support of someone to help us.
“This means that caring is an issue that affects all of us. But very often people care for someone they love, and do not realise that the support that they are giving is something that is recognised and that they can be given support with.
“Some rights carers have, for example the right to a carer’s assessment, are set by law. Others may be provided by an employer or school that has policies or support in place carers can access. And we are here to provide advice and information for carers, as well as to raise awareness of the incredible contributions they make.”
For more information about the support services available to carers, please visit Caring Together’s website
This article was produced on the 25th November 2021 by our Communications team for information purposes only and should not be construed or relied upon as specific legal advice.