Eurocarers Autumn Seminar A future for care: a future for carers in Europe Brussels, 16 November 2009

Welcome from Rob Anderson and the other members of Eurocarers Executive Committee

Executive Committee President: Rob Anderson Secretary: Frank Goodwin Treasurer: Liam O’Sullivan Vice-President Research: Giovanni Lamura Vice-President Carer Organisations: Henk Bakkerode Members: Areti Efthymiou; Sebastian Fischer Advisers: Christine Marking; Marja Pijl

Activities since AGM in May 2009 Legal and administrative matters e.g. banking Legal and administrative matters e.g. banking Membership, organisation and funding Membership, organisation and funding Liaison with EU institutions, especially Parliament Liaison with EU institutions, especially Parliament Co-operation with EU-level NGOs Co-operation with EU-level NGOs Development of communication, especially website, briefing documents, information materials Development of communication, especially website, briefing documents, information materials Presentations in Czech and Swedish Presidencies; seminar Presentations in Czech and Swedish Presidencies; seminar Preparation of research and consultation documents Preparation of research and consultation documents

Eurocarers European level non-governmental association working for carers Members are representatives from carers’ organisations and research groups Aims: To represent and provide a voice for carers in the EU To represent and provide a voice for carers in the EU To advance informal care and the interests of carers To advance informal care and the interests of carers To improve the personal, economic and social situation of carers To improve the personal, economic and social situation of carers Methods – Research – Policy - Advocacy

Eurocarers represents: Carers for people of all ages, both adults and children Carers for people of all ages, both adults and children Carers of all ages, including family, friends, neighbours, volunteers Carers of all ages, including family, friends, neighbours, volunteers Carers of people with psychological as well as physical disabilities (although this is often a false distinction) Carers of people with psychological as well as physical disabilities (although this is often a false distinction) Carers who are essentially unpaid, although they may receive dedicated social security benefits, they do not have an employment contract Carers who are essentially unpaid, although they may receive dedicated social security benefits, they do not have an employment contract

Carers: Key relationships People with disabilities Carers Workplace Family Formal providers Government

Human resources for care Formal providers + Informal carers – should be coordinated and mutually supportive – high commitment to care. Dominance of family and informal care in most Member States eg. UK (Public Accounts Committee, Sept 2009): 6 million unpaid carers provide care worth an estimated £23 billion p.a. – And receive benefits worth £2bn p.a.; EU – 80% of care hours are provided by informal care (Background Paper) But concerns (eg in the 2009 Communication on Alzheimer's disease) about shortages of carers, lack of support for informal carers, and risk of social exclusion for carers.

Caring and working Around half of carers under 65 combine care with employment Around half of carers under 65 combine care with employment 10% to 15% of employees are providing eldercare, especially older (female) workers 10% to 15% of employees are providing eldercare, especially older (female) workers But among those with eldercare responsibilities only half of women but 9 out of 10 men (are able to) work full-time But among those with eldercare responsibilities only half of women but 9 out of 10 men (are able to) work full-time

Impacts on employment Career development and promotion Career development and promotion Financial disadvantage Financial disadvantage Access to training and skills development Access to training and skills development Stress, sickness and absenteeism Stress, sickness and absenteeism European Foundation research: 25% of female carers and 15% of male carers reported that care limited their employment opportunities

Measures in the workplace to support carers Policies: work organisation, working time, homeworking Policies: work organisation, working time, homeworking Services: information, development of community services Services: information, development of community services Benefits: insurance, leave entitlements Benefits: insurance, leave entitlements Support: from colleagues and managers Support: from colleagues and managers

Carers in the EU policy debate Role and contribution of family carers begins to be visible, especially in long-term care Role and contribution of family carers begins to be visible, especially in long-term care Recruiting and retaining an adequately qualified and skilled care workforce - employment Recruiting and retaining an adequately qualified and skilled care workforce - employment Training and social protection for both formal and informal carers Training and social protection for both formal and informal carers Equal opportunities: Measures to reconcile employment with family care Equal opportunities: Measures to reconcile employment with family care Sustainability and quality of the health and care workforce Sustainability and quality of the health and care workforce

Public policy measures to support family care Information and awareness raising Information and awareness raising Cash benefits to informal caregivers Cash benefits to informal caregivers Provision of training courses Provision of training courses Availability of respite services Availability of respite services Social security contributions eg pensions Social security contributions eg pensions Greater flexibility in packaging of care services Greater flexibility in packaging of care services

Future for family care depends in part on future for formal care But: Workforce is ageing Workforce is ageing Relatively high levels of reported stress Relatively high levels of reported stress Labour supply bottlenecks and staff shortages Labour supply bottlenecks and staff shortages Recruitment and integration of workers from other countries Recruitment and integration of workers from other countries “…the quality of service depends to a large extent on the motivation and the quality of the personnel.”

Measures to improve image and attractiveness of care work Promote public debate on societal significance of care Promote public debate on societal significance of care Emphasise meaningful work and job enrichment Emphasise meaningful work and job enrichment Enable flexible employment and work-life balance Enable flexible employment and work-life balance Opportunities to gain qualifications through training Opportunities to gain qualifications through training Increase rates of pay Increase rates of pay

Some issues for further development in EU Responding to the reconciliation of employment with care for dependent adults/older people Responding to the reconciliation of employment with care for dependent adults/older people Ensuring that leave and flexible working arrangements are available to all groups of workers Ensuring that leave and flexible working arrangements are available to all groups of workers Increasing availability and affordability of care services for both children and dependent older people – more focus on labour supply in care services Increasing availability and affordability of care services for both children and dependent older people – more focus on labour supply in care services Recognising important variations between countries in both problems and preferences Recognising important variations between countries in both problems and preferences

Current priorities for Eurocarers The contribution of unpaid carers – the role that carers play and its importance to our societies The contribution of unpaid carers – the role that carers play and its importance to our societies Income and the impact of caring – on the economic situation of carers and their families as well as the benefits to the state Income and the impact of caring – on the economic situation of carers and their families as well as the benefits to the state Reconciling employment with care responsibilities Reconciling employment with care responsibilities Access to and availability of effective support – the right to respite care or leave; assistive technologies; high quality care services Access to and availability of effective support – the right to respite care or leave; assistive technologies; high quality care services