- 12/06/2018
- Posted by: Lesley Griffiths MS
- Category: News
Local Assembly Member, Lesley Griffiths wants everybody to do there bit to make Wrexham a carer-friendly community.
The call coincides with Carers Week 2018 (11th -17th June), an annual campaign aimed at raising awareness of caring, highlighting the challenges carers face and recognising the contribution they make to families and communities throughout the country.
Carer-friendly communities are aware of the part played by unpaid carers within their community, encouraging everyone – whether employers, public services, local amenities or businesses – to do something to make life better for carers.
There are 370,000 carers in Wales – around 12% of the population. They provide 96% of the care in the communities across Wales and contribute more than £8.1bn to the Welsh economy every year.
In Wales, under the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act, which came into force in 2016, carers have an equal right to have their needs assessment as those they care for. If carers have eligible needs, the local authority must meet those needs through a carers support plan.
The three national priorities are:
- Supporting life alongside caring – All carers must have reasonable breaks from their caring role to enable them to maintain their capacity to care, and to have a life beyond caring.
- Identifying and recognising carers – Carers deserve to be recognised and supported so that they can continue to care. It is vital that carers identify themselves as carers.
- Providing information, advice and assistance – It is important that carers receive the right information and advice when they need it and in an appropriate format.
Lesley Griffiths AM has welcomed Welsh Labour Government support for carers and is calling on other organisations to follow suit. She said: “Carers play such an important role in society. They come from all walks of life and often spend hours of their time caring for their loved ones.”
“Their support is invaluable and Carers Week offers the ideal opportunity to focus on how we can all make life easier for carers in our own community.”
More information can be found on the Carers Week website
