Young Carers Action Day!

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It’s Young Carers Action Day!

Young Carers Action Day (YCAD) raises awareness about young carers (YCs) and young adult carers (YACs), the challenges they face and the support they need. This year’s theme is Fair Futures for Young Carers which will be focussing on why caring should not be a barrier to learning, earning or being able to get on in life – but for many, it is.

Being a young carer shouldn’t be a barrier to a young person’s dreams. It should be a stepping stone to a brighter future. Together, let’s create a future where young carers can dream without limits.

You can find more information and resources on YCAD at Carers.org/YCAD or get involved on social media using the hashtag #YoungCarersActionDay

Carer’s Leave Act 2023 will come into force on 6 April 2024!

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Final legislation passed in Parliament seals a groundbreaking new right for two million employees with unpaid caring responsibilities to take up to five days of Carer’s Leave.

It sets out the final working details of how employees will be able to request Carer’s Leave from their employer when the law comes into force on 6 April 2024. The regulations set out that employees can take Carer’s Leave in full or half days, or in a whole block of five days, and must give advance notice that is twice the length of time that needs to be taken.

The regulations for the Carer’s Leave Act 2023 make clear that employees in Great Britain with a long-term unpaid caring responsibility for a family member or friend will be able take up to five days of unpaid Carer’s Leave. They will have the same employment protections associated with other forms of family-related leave, such as protection from dismissal as a result of having taken the leave.

Read more at Carers UK’s website.

Creative Breaks Grants Update – January 2024

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We regret that, due to limited funding for Creative Breaks grants, the 2023/24 Fund is now closed to new applications.  We will continue to process applications that have already been submitted.

We hope to re-open the Fund to new applications for the 2024/25 financial year in March 2024, and further information will be available on our website nearer the time.

Due to the increasing demand for Creative Breaks grants, there will be some changes to the eligibility criteria for this funding in 2024/25.  Unfortunately, this will include limiting the grants to carers who have not received a Creative Breaks grant within the previous 24 months.  Other eligibility criteria will apply and full details will be available when the fund re-opens.

Creative Breaks Grants Update – September 2023

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All the funding made available to the Carers Centre from the Short Breaks Fund has now been allocated. New applications cannot be accepted at this time. We are working to secure further funding and hope to be able to reopen applications for Creative Breaks grants in December 2023. Please keep an eye on our website for further updates.

If you would like to discuss your caring role, or find out about what other short breaks opportunities are currently available, please call us on 01324 611510, and select either option 1 for Falkirk, option 2 for Clackmannanshire, or option 3 for Young Carers and Young Adult Carers.

Falkirk FC and the Carers Centre sign new deal!

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The Carers Centre has once again teamed up with The Falkirk Foundation and Falkirk Football Club to give those that are struggling the opportunity to come to games this season for free through the Support our Bairns initiative.

Thanks to the generosity of the Falkirk fanbase, carers in Falkirk and Clackmannanshire and their families will have the opportunity to attend Falkirk games at The Falkirk Stadium this season. 50 tickets will be made available to Falkirk & Clackmannanshire Carers Centre, who will distribute them through the Respitality programme, ahead of every home game to give the carers and cared for in our community a chance to experience a match day and support their team without having to worry about the cost as well as the opportunity to have a break.

Falkirk Football Club matched what was raised, doubling the number of tickets and thus doubling the impact of the project and with gift aid added at no additional cost to fans, we were able to reach more of our community.

There is still an opportunity to be part of this as we are still raising funds for this initiative and if anyone would like to donate they can do so here: Donate with PayPal Giving Fund. Thank you to everyone who kindly donated to this worthwhile cause.

Interested in receiving matchday tickets for the 2023/24 season? Then sign-up here, or click the button below:

And if you’d like to hear what other carers had to say about receiving matchday tickets during the 2022/23 season, you can read our feedback report for last season here!

 

Falkirk Carers Strategy 2023 – 2026

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Falkirk Health and Social Care Partnership have now published the updated 2023 – 2026 version of the Falkirk Carers Strategy.

The Carers (Scotland) Act 2016 became law on 1 April 2018 and places duties on Falkirk Health and Social Care Partnership and Falkirk Council to support unpaid carers in their caring role. These duties include preparing a carers strategy with particular focus on the local area. This local strategy supports the delivery of the National Carers Strategy, is reviewed every three years, and is for all Adult Carers and Young Carers in Falkirk.

You can access the Carers Strategy and other relevant documents by visiting: falkirkhscp.org/publications/#carers

 

Right To Carers Leave Act receives Royal Assent

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A Bill that gives employees across Great Britain the right to take unpaid leave from work to care for older, disabled or seriously ill relatives or friends has now received Royal Assent.

The Carer’s Leave Act 2023 will ensure that the estimated two million employees currently juggling paid employment and caring responsibilities will be able to take up to five days of unpaid Carer’s Leave to support their loved ones.

The earliest date the legislation would come into force is April 2024 but the date is yet to be confirmed. Details of the regulations and guidance are currently being developed will be shared by the UK Government in due course.

Employers that are keen to understand more about the implications of the Carer’s Leave Act and how to better support carers in their staff teams can find out more from Carers UK’s employers forum, Employers for Carers.

Read more at Carers UK’s website.

Young Carers Action Day!

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It’s Young Carers Action Day!

Young Carers Action Day (YCAD) raises awareness about young carers (YCs) and young adult carers (YACs), the challenges they face and the support they need. This year’s theme is Make Time for Young Carers which highlights two things that are really important for YCs and YACs:

  • The need for professionals and responsible adults to make more time to listen to young carers and young adult carers explain the challenges they face, so we can better understand the support young carers and young adult carers actually need.
  • Once they understand the sort of support that’s required, responsible adults then need to make time to put that support in place.

For YCAD this year we’ll be Making Time for Young Carers with some exciting group activities! We’ll also be sharing some brilliant stop motion animations created by our Young Carers’ Voice group. 

You can find more information and resources on YCAD at Carers.org/YCAD or get involved on social media using the hashtag #YoungCarersActionDay

We’re hiring!

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The Carers Centre is a growing and forward-thinking organisation with ambition to support an increasing number of children, young people and adults who provide unpaid care for a family member or friend due to disability, illness, addiction, or frailty.

We are currently looking to fill the role of:

        • Young Carer Support Worker (21 hours per week)

Applications for this post close on Monday 5 December 2022.

You can find out more about this role at our VACANCIES page! Or if you’d like to apply, click below!

Falkirk Carers Strategy Consultations

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Falkirk Health and Social Care Partnership are currently consulting for a new Carers Strategy – a list of things we know are important to carers and the ways we can try to make things better.

There are two consultations open – one for adult carers, and one for young carers and young adult carers. The surveys will close Friday 23 December 2022.

You can complete the adult carers strategy consultation and find out more by clicking here.

To complete the young carer & young adult carer strategy consultation, click here.

If you have any further questions or would prefer a paper copy, please contact: carers@falkirk.gov.uk.