Conference marks 10 years of the Carers (Scotland) Act
Pictured back row (left to right): Rachel Erskine, Preyakemefa Brisibe, Ryan Watson, Michelle Morrison, John Burns and Anne Marie McLaughlin. Front row (left to right): Gordon Paterson, Karen Wilson, Alison Thewliss MSP, Minister for Community Care, and Rachel Tainsh.
Around 100 delegates from across health and social care, academia, the third sector and carer organisations came together in Glasgow this week to mark 10 years since the Carers (Scotland) Act 2016 was passed.
The conference, ‘Caring, Rights, Inequality and Public Health’, was an opportunity to reflect on progress made over the past decade while exploring priorities for improving support for unpaid carers in the years ahead.
Hosted by the Unpaid Carers Programme within Public Services Delivery Scotland (PSD Scotland), the event brought together people with lived experience alongside practitioners, researchers, leaders and policymakers from across Scotland.
Throughout the day, delegates heard a range of perspectives on carers’ rights, public health, hospital discharge planning, wellbeing and community-based support. Workshops explored both the progress made over the past decade and the challenges unpaid carers continue to face.
The conference also featured a Marketplace of Ideas and Practice, showcasing work from organisations across Scotland and providing opportunities for networking, collaboration and shared learning.
Minister for Community Care, Alison Thewliss MSP, attended the event and heard directly from delegates about the impact of caring on people's lives and the importance of recognising unpaid carers as equal partners in care.
The Carers Act has made a positive difference in recognising carers and strengthening their rights. Unpaid carers make an incredible contribution to Scotland. Whether caring for a parent, partner, child, friend or neighbour, carers provide support that enables people to live independently, stay connected to their communities and have a better quality of life.
The Scottish Government also recognises that many carers continue to face significant pressures, including financial challenges, impacts on their health and wellbeing and difficulties balancing caring with work and family life.
That is why we remain committed to improving support for carers and ensuring they can access the help they need at the right time.
As we mark ten years of the Carers (Scotland) Act, it is important to recognise the enormous contribution unpaid carers make every day to individuals, families and communities across Scotland.
This conference has brought together people with lived experience, practitioners, researchers, leaders and policymakers to reflect on the progress made over the last decade, while also considering the challenges that remain.
The conversations throughout the day have highlighted both how far we've come and how much more there is still to do. Unpaid carers continue to play a vital role in supporting people across Scotland, and it is important that their voices help shape the services, support and policies that affect them.
The conference concluded with a shared commitment to continue working collaboratively to improve outcomes for unpaid carers and ensure their experiences help shape future policy, practice and service improvement across Scotland.
