Who are carers? 
Carers UK defines carers as those of us who provide unpaid care by looking after someone who is older, disabled or seriously ill. The description ‘carer’ is useful in identifying people, including employees, who may be in need of support because of their caring responsibilities.  However, many people who are ‘carers’ do not see themselves as such and would probably say “I’m just being a husband, wife, dad, son, daughter, friend or good neighbour”.

Carers may assist with personal things like getting someone dressed, turning them in their sleep, helping them to the bathroom, helping them move about or administering their medication. They may also help with things like shopping, laundry, cleaning, cooking, filling in forms or managing money.

Caring is different from mainstream childcare responsibilities and needs a separate response from employers and managers. Caring can happen overnight or creep up on you unawares, it can be hard to plan and to cope with emotionally and it has different ‘milestones’ to childcare. 

For example, the birth of a child is a cause for celebration, but the onset of caring responsibilities for a parent with an illness such as Alzheimer’s Disease is not; a child moving from primary to secondary school education is seen as a positive progression, unlike an adult moving into residential or nursing care. 

Sample definition for carers:
As an organisation you may find it helpful to have your own definition for carers. This is particularly useful if you are looking to develop a carers policy. It can also help when distinguishing between the needs of those with caring responsibilities and those with childcare issues. Employers for Carers have developed the following definition as a best practice example. It is used by many of the group’s member organisations.

This definition can be used directly or adapted to suit the needs of your organisation.