Caring Responsibilities Project 2012

'Caring for carers': Compliance with legislation and beyond

Who is a carer?

Are you a parent?
Do you look after an elderly person or a disabled person?

Then you are a carer.

A carer is someone who spends unpaid time looking after or supporting a relative, child, partner, neighbour or friends who is frail, ill, has a physical or learning disability, mental health problems or substance misuse problems.

This support may be in the form of help with personal tasks such as dressing, or practical tasks such as shopping or cooking, or emotional support and supervision.

A carer does not have to live with the person for whom they care.

News and events

Caring for Carers Survey 2012
Have you completed the survey yet? Take the opportunity to let us know what you think the University could be doing to better support its carers in their work and/or studies. Take part in the Caring for Carers Survey

Caring for Carers Survey 2012

Have you completed the survey yet?

Take the opportunity to let us know what you think the University could be doing to better support its carers in their work and/or studies.

Take part in the Caring for Carers Survey

Tuesday Taster, 19 June 2012

Book your place now - http://www.essex.ac.uk/ldev/events/STTAS11123.aspx

At this session, the Caring for Carers Project Team will give you an overview of the Project, a summary of our progress and results from our survey, and will provide an opportunity for members of staff to give us further feedback in response to our findings thus far.

Tuesday Taster, 13 March 2012

Caring for Carers: Compliance with legislation and beyond
We had a good turn out at the Tuesday Taster session, with many interesting questions and suggestions that we’ll certainly take on board.
View the slides (.pdf)

Afternoon Tea for Carers

The event was a success and we had very positive feedback from those attending it. Pictures from the Afternoon Tea can be seen on our facebook page.

Caring Responsibilities Project 2012: We need your help

Background to the project

In October 2010, the Equality Act increased protection for people from 'discrimination by association'. This means that those who care for someone with a disability, or an elderly relative, for example, are protected from discrimination. The Act also protects women outside the workplace from discrimination that arises as a result of pregnancy and maternity, and so this project will be considering the needs of staff and students with childcare responsibilities.

The Caring Responsibilities Project has been launched to raise awareness of the support available both within and outside the University to working carers, and to ensure the University is doing as much as possible to support carers. We will be reviewing relevant policies, procedures and practices at the university to identify the barriers facing students and staff who are juggling caring responsibilities with their studies or work, and will be making recommendations to improve provision, support and information for carers to improve their overall experiences at the University.

Protection from discrimination

The Equality Act 2010 brings together various pieces of legislation on equality into one single act, and extends some rights to groups not previously covered. For the first time, carers have protection from direct discrimination. This means that employers and providers of goods and services must not treat carers less favourably than those without caring responsibilities.

For more information:

visit your local Citizens Advice Bureau
visit the Home Office website
contact the Equality and Human Rights Commission: England (Telephone: 0845 604 6610 or Textphone: 0845 604 6620)

Are you a carer?

If you are a student or a member of staff at the University of Essex and have a caring responsibility, whether it be that you are a parent, a carer for an elderly relative, a carer for a disabled neighbour, you are pregnant, or whether you have any other caring responsibilities, we want to hear from you.

We want to know what more can be done to support you.

If you are a student or a member of staff at the University of Essex and have a caring responsibility, we want to hear from you. We want to know what support is currently provided for you as a carer by the University, and what more can be done to support you. We want to know whether any of the University's existing policies, procedures and practices, have a negative impact on carers and how they could be improved. We are hoping to hold an open meeting for students and staff, and will also be holding focus groups to explore these issues. Details of these, and other activities, will be posted on the website and the Project's Facebook page.

If you are interested in participating in the Project and are willing to share your suggestions or experiences, or if you simply just want some more information, please contact us.

Who to contact

You can send us an email to carers or, if you prefer to speak to somebody, you can call one of the Project Team members:

Project Manager - Karen Bush T: +44 (0) 1206 87 3506
Project Officer for Staff - Caterina Cinel T: +44 (0) 1206 87 3291
Project Officer for Students - Hannah Lamb T: +44 (0) 1206 87 3134

Find us on facebook for updates and opportunities to network with other carers.