Carer Positive is a Scottish Government scheme delivered by Carers Scotland. They work with Scottish employers to build and develop workplace support for members of staff who have caring responsibilities at home.
Landmark new employment legislation came into force on 6th April this year, giving employees who have caring responsibilities in their home lives a right to 5 days unpaid leave. The Carers Leave Act brings vitally needed support to around a quarter of a million carers in employment across Scotland, helping them to balance paid employment with their caring responsibilities outside of work.
Around one in seven people in a workforce are caring for someone who may be older, disabled, or ill, and this number is likely to rise as our population ages and we work for longer. Research undertaken in 2019 showed that 600 carers across the UK leave employment every day to care, with huge implications for staff retention and a loss of skills and experience across the labour market.
We know that many employers already provide good support for staff with caring responsibilities and encourage positive discussions around work life balance, however a significant number of people simply don’t recognise themselves as ‘carers’, and that’s where this new legislation can really help enable these discussions.
Employers can help staff who might be ‘hidden’ carers recognise that they can access this new support. By raising awareness of the right, organisations can create a working environment where carers feel comfortable and supported, and more likely to remain in employment as a result.
The Carer Positive scheme has been supporting employers across Scotland for the last 10 years to develop policies and workplace practice which help support the recruitment, retention, and wellbeing of staff with caring responsibilities. The initiative is free to participate in, with advice, support and resources available to help organisations develop their own supportive working environment.
Visit www.carerpositive.org to access information and resources, or get in touch with Carer Positive Manager, Sue McLintock at sue.mclintock@carerscotland.org to arrange a chat.