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Building carer-friendly communities

Author: Brendan Steinhardt

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As part of the annual Carers Week (12-18 June), Barnet Council has come together with thousands of organisations and individuals throughout the UK to highlight the challenges carers face and recognise the valuable contribution they make to families and communities.

Understanding the vital role these individuals play, the council has committed to a Carers-Trust pledge wall which makes the following pledge: Barnet Council recognises the vital role that carers play in supporting people. We will continue to work with our partners to deliver our vision that carers are supported and valued by our communities.

To embed the culture of support for carers and young carers across the local community, Barnet Council has further committed its support by signing up to the Employers for Carers Scheme. Through council funding, the scheme will allow small and medium businesses, courtesy of Barnet Council; access to free resources, advice and information on how to support employees in their workforce who are balancing work and caring responsibilities.

Chairman of the Adults and Safeguarding Committee, Councillor Sachin Rajput, said: “Raising the profile of carers and recognising the role they do in the community is important to the council. We want to champion carers and highlight the challenges they face, while also recognising that they are individuals with needs of their own and promote the support mechanisms in place for them to access”.

The importance of supporting carers is cemented through Barnet Council’s support offer, outlined in the Carers and Young Carers Strategy 2015-20. This strategy is a priority for the council and reinforces the support needed for carers and young carers to recognise everything they do and support them in their role.