ACE National Innovating through EQUAL to Achieve Change for Carers

Who are our beneficiaries? The UKs 6 million carers look after family, partners or friends in need of help because they are ill, frail or have a disability. The care they provide is unpaid Carers save the UKs health and social care services £56 billion a year – the equivalent of a second National Health Service

Key issues Over the next 20 years, the UK economy will need an extra 2 million workers, and UK society will need an extra 3 million carers The economy will need people to work longer, at exactly the time that they are likely to be caring The economy cannot afford people not to work, or people not to care

Key objectives – ACE National To raise awareness in the widest possible forum of the barriers facing carers who want to work To develop and test the mechanisms that can support carers to return to, or remain in, work To mainstream support and have the greatest possible impact on local and national policy on carers and work

Project design Lead partner - Carers UK –national lobbying and campaigning organisation of and for carers Local pilot sites working directly with beneficiaries A national policy partnership, designed to achieve maximum mainstreaming and long-term policy change

Key mainstreaming outcomes 1 Learning for Living –pre-vocational training programme for carers Training resources to develop and mainstream good practice for: –local authorities –employers –working carers – unions –Jobcentre Plus

Key mainstreaming outcomes 2 Research reports: –We Care – Do You? –Who Cares Wins - the Social and Business Benefits of Supporting Carers in the Workplace Carers and their Rights – the Law Relating to Carers

Key mainstreaming outcomes 3 Employers for Carers –website –benchmarking tool –case studies Employer of the Year Awards –Carers Award

Key mainstreaming outcomes 4 Carers (Equal Opportunities) Act 2004 –support to access work, learning and leisure Work and Families Act 2006 –right to request flexible working All Party Parliamentary Group on Carers Equal Opportunities Commission Parents and Carers Coalition

Key mainstreaming outcomes 5 Government White Paper Our Health, Our Care, Our Say –A New Deal for Carers Government Pensions White Paper Government Welfare Reform White Paper

What did ESF add? Capacity –capitalising on strengths of partners to extend activity Support for innovation –identifying and testing new ways of working Support for mainstreaming –transforming policy and practice to achieve long term change

How to find out more Find out more about ACE National at: – – Find out more about Carers UK at: –