carers

Data from the Census in 2001 found that carers are a third more likely to be in poor health than non carers. The more recent Scottish Household Survey found that 12% of carers reported that they were in poor health. This increases to 18% for those caring for 20 hours or more each week. 12% of people termed in the Scottish Household Survey as “economically inactive” providing care also consider themselves to be permanent sick or disabled.

Shared Care Scotland exists to promote the development of more imaginative, personcentred approaches to short breaks and respite care. The carers and service users we speak to are looking for quality services which offer choice, flexibility and reliability; a range of services that meet different needs and circumstances rather than a ‘one size fits all’ approach. The development of Short Break Bureaux in Scotland, involves collaborative working between the statutory and voluntary sector. This guide provides a model of service planning.

This Statistics Release presents information on respite care services provided or purchased by Local Authorities in Scotland. Respite Care is a service intended to benefit a carer and the person he or she cares for by providing a short break from caring tasks

The Scottish Government and COSLA are determined to ensure that carers are supported to manage their caring responsibilities with confidence and in good health, and to have a life of their own outside of caring. This is a strategy developed by the Health Boards, national carer organisations and carers, which will build on the support already in place and take forward the recommendations of the landmark report, Care 21: the future of unpaid care in Scotland.

One of a series of reports providing the social services workforce with brief, accessible and practice-oriented summaries of published evidence on key topics.

Developed through a process of rapid appraisal, Insights seek to highlight the practice implications of research evidence and answer the 'So what does this mean in practice?' question for each topic reviewed.

This Insight focuses on the long-term emotional and psychological needs of stroke survivors and their carers.