Who is the carer?

1. Who is the carer? Activity one powerpoint

2. Who is the carer? • Sue (besides being a parent) and also Frank (a young carer besides being a student) • Nita is a parent • Jill and Afram are care workers, and Mary is a nurse

3. What is the minimum age requirement for a carer? • Carers get into the role often without choice or age considerations. • Carers are known to range from 5 to 95. There is no age restriction. • Young carers are often hidden from society and generally unsupported by society • Unlike a carer, the minimum age requirement for a care worker is 16 yrs

4. What are the maximum statutory hours for a carer • None exist. Many carers often cite working 24/7 • Many carers find themselves in poor health and are potential patients in waiting • In contrast, most full-time workers in the health and social care sectors are contracted to work a 37hr week

5. What is the minimum paid holiday entitlement for a carer? • None exists at the moment. Some carers often go without any respite or holiday for many years • However, in recent years, some carers have been able to access direct payments for a holiday or respite activity (following a carer’s assessment) • Most full-time employees in the care sector get a minimum 4 weeks + bank holidays paid

6. What pension provision is on offer to carers? • Most carers do not have access to a pension fund similar to public or private sector • Public sector workers benefit from an index linked fund and private sector workers benefit from either company pensions or use income to contribute/top up their plan • ‘Non-working’ carers often have anxieties about their deteriorating financial situation • Some carers may not even automatically receive the full basic state pension

7. What are the training requirements for a carer? • Almost all carers start without any formal training for their role • Carers find themselves having to ‘muddle through’ without adequate information or support before becoming experts in many aspects of the role • Carers are often vulnerable, have little or no protection to health and safety issues compared to care workers

8. What are the training requirements for a carer? • 96% of carers providing regular and substantial care say it has negatively affected their health • 55% of substantial and regular carers have significant health problems as a result of their caring tasks • 86% of carers asked had experienced stress anxiety or depression • By contrast, all care workers and nursing staff have to undergo formal training All figures from “Sick, tired and caring: the impact of unpaid caring on health and long term conditions”  Carers UK December 2010.

9. What career opportunities exist for carers? • No career structure exists at the moment although many carers develop considerable skills and knowledge. • Some carers do take up part time in voluntary organisations and public sector services as a result of the skills and knowledge acquired • Some of the work taken up in the voluntary sector is unpaid.