We’re ensuring unpaid carers are identified, supported, heard and know their rights this Carers Rights Day and beyond

It’s important people who provide unpaid care or support to someone close to them due to illness, a disability, frailty or addiction, know their rights, wherever they are in their caring journey. This Carers Rights Day (Thursday 21st November 2024) and beyond, we want to help raise awareness about how we at Carers in Hertfordshire and other services are there to ensure carers are identified, informed, supported and heard.

This year’s theme is ‘recognising your rights’ as knowing about the support you are entitled to when you have caring responsibilities can help you feel confident to ask for what you need and challenge things when your rights are not being met – whether that be in the workplace or education, in accessing health or social care, or when interacting with other professionals or at home.

One way we support carers is by organising workshops and events to enable you to meet other carers and have a break from caring, to pick up tips to help you in your caring role, or talk to people from organisations that pay for, or provide, health and community services.

This Carers Rights Day we are holding:
• A drop-in Information Event for Carers in Welwyn Garden City – two sessions 10.30am – 12.30pm and 1.30pm – 3.30pm. Join us to learn about your rights, discover support resources in Hertfordshire, speak with representatives from organisations including ours, advocacy agency POhWER, Citizens Advice and more! Find out more or book onto a session via this link – Carers Rights Day Information Event.
• Our Harpenden Carers Support Hub has its meeting on Thursday 21st November, 11am – 12.30pm at The Harpenden Trust, 130a Southdown Road, Harpenden. One of our Advisors will be attending to offer one to one information and advice related to caring.
• A first aid workshop in Royston, 10.30am – 12pm noon.

If you are in Hertfordshire and provide unpaid care to someone or you live elsewhere and look after someone in the county, we are here for you. Contact us to find out how we can help you – email contact@carersinherts.org.uk or call 01992 58 69 69.

National charity Carers UK, which co-ordinates Carers Rights Day, has some useful information related to a range of carers’ rights. Visit www.carersuk.org/help-and-advice/get-resources/looking-after-someone or get in touch by emailing advice@carersuk.org or calling 0808 808 7777 (9am – 6pm Monday to Friday).