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1 in 10 people in Sheffield care for a family member. It’s not an easy job.
But carers have rights. The right to recognition. The right to support. The right to take a break.
This Carers Rights Day, two Sheffield charities are teaming up with Sheffield City Council to launch a social media campaign which will highlight the rights of unpaid carers and encourage them to seek support. Sheffield’s ‘Know Your Rights’ campaign will run from Monday 23rd to Thursday 26th November and will feature carers of all ages, from all backgrounds, explaining who they care for and the different challenges they face.
Together, Sheffield Carers Centre and Sheffield Young Carers provide advice and support to more than 12,000 unpaid carers in Sheffield – carers like Thomas and Kate. They are hoping their ‘Know Your Rights’ campaign will reach hundreds, if not thousands, more.
“My name is Thomas. I’m an unpaid carer and I have the right to be supported.
“I care for my dad who has MS and my mum who has ME and Fibromyalgia. My caring affects my mental health.
“The things that would make my life easier are access to NHS mental health support, school reducing my work and help and understanding from my GP.”
It’s not much to ask for. But it’s all Thomas wants.
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Thomas is 16 and he’s a young carer. Like many unpaid carers in Sheffield, the support that he needs isn’t going to break the bank. But helping him to cope with his caring will hopefully prevent him from becoming ill himself.
Thomas is one of tens of thousands of unpaid carers in Sheffield who spend a significant amount of their time looking after a loved one with a physical illness, a disability, mental ill-health or a problem with drugs or alcohol. Caring tasks can range from helping them to wash and get dressed to reminding them to take their medication or listening to their worries and fears. It’s hard work, both physically and emotionally, but it often goes unnoticed by people outside the family.
“My name is Kate, and I’m an unpaid carer. I have the right to be recognised as a full-time carer and to be supported and helped with issues, as they arise.”
“I care for my daughter, who lives at home. She has Down’s Syndrome, epilepsy, a heart defect and an underactive thyroid.
“What I need most is someone I can trust, who can support and care for my daughter so that my husband and I can enjoy a bit of occasional respite from our caring responsibilities.
Being an unpaid carer can be extremely challenging, but all carers have rights, intended to recognise the value of caring and make their lives easier. Some rights are quite specific and enshrined in law, like the right to have an assessment of the carer’s own needs, but some are more fundamental, like the right to be recognised as a carer or to be able to take a break from their caring.
“Unfortunately, many of the carers who call our Carers Advice Line aren’t aware of their rights. They don’t realise there are benefits that they are entitled to, for example, or that we can help them get a break.
“We know that the number of unpaid carers in Sheffield has increased dramatically this year, as a direct result of COVID-19, and they are providing more care than ever before with less support available. We’re hoping our campaign will lead to many more carers accessing support that’s rightfully theirs.”
Carers Week research, released earlier this year, revealed that the pandemic has already resulted in millions of new carers across the UK – an estimated 4.5 million men and women.
Since the start of the pandemic, 2.8 million of whom are juggling work and care. That’s almost 50% more than the 9.1 million people who were thought to be caring before the crisis.
In Sheffield, an increase of almost 50% could mean an additional 30,000 unpaid carers across the city, on top of the 60,000 adult carers that it is believed were caring before. That’s 90,000 unpaid carers in total, not including Sheffield’s 7,300 young carers between the ages of 8 and 18.
“The pandemic has made life incredibly hard for many of the young carers we support. They’re spending more time caring for their loved ones as a result of COVID-19, and they’re experiencing high levels of anxiety because they’re worried about bringing the virus home from school or work, which could be devastating for their families.
“We know that more and more people – including children and young people – have stepped into the role of unpaid carer during the pandemic, often in the absence of other services. We have to ensure that carers of all ages know their rights during these hugely worrying and isolating times. Carers Rights Day provides a critical opportunity for us to do just that.”
To support the campaign, visit www.doyoucare.co.uk or follow:
• @SheffieldCarers, @SheffYoungC or @SheffCouncil on Twitter
• @SheffieldCarers, @SheffieldYoungCarers or @oursheff on Facebook
• @sheffyoungc or @sheffieldcitycouncil on Instagram
Retweet, like and share as many campaign messages as you can, to ensure Sheffield’s unpaid carers know their rights.
If you are an adult carer, please call 0114 272 8362 (between 10 and 4, Monday to Friday) or visit www.sheffieldcarers.org.uk to register with the Carers Centre and find out what support you are entitled to.
If you are a young carer or if you work with young carers, please visit www.sheffieldyoungcarers.org.uk to make a referral or to find out how young carers can get support in your school, college or workplace. Or call 0114 258 4595 (between 9 and 5, Monday to Friday) to find out more.
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