Carers in your workforce matter

Carers can be defined as someone who ‘spends a significant proportion of their life providing unpaid support to family or potentially friends. This could be caring for a relative, partner or friend who is ill , frail , disabled or has mental health or substance misuse problems.1 Such carers are not to be confused with paid carers (often described as Care workers, Senior care workers, community support, outreach workers and personal assistants). However, those employed in such roles may also be carers in their own time for friends or family. 1 ‘Carers at The Heart of the 21st Century’ Department of Health, 2008. This pack aims to raise awareness of the unpaid carers you will have in your social care workforce, identify what you can do to support them, retain their skills and prevent them having to leave your workforce.