Scottish Conservatives highlight the plight of Carers and concern for the Elderly

It has long been recognised by communities that carers across the age spectrum need more support. Council funding cut backs have directly affected the ability of many charitable organisations to deliver crucial services at the front end. Their struggle to survive has been well documented.
Mary Scanlon MSP and Councillor Douglas Ross demonstrate continued interest and involvement with the dedicated groups striving to make a difference.

Local Councillor and MSP support Moray Carers’ Project

Mary Scanlon, Scottish Conservative MSP for the Highlands and Islands and Douglas Ross, Scottish Conservative Councillor for Fochabers-Lhanbryde demonstrated their support for unpaid carers and young carers when they visited The Princess Royal Trust for Carers Moray Carers’ Project in Elgin on Monday.

Mary and Douglas heard about the work being done by staff at the Project to provide practical support to unpaid carers, and the innovative work being done in Moray’s schools to help identify young carers who balance education and learning whilst providing often intensive levels of care for parents, or other family members. The Young Carers team work closely with secondary schools and are building some initial links with primary schools in Moray to offer one to one support to pupils who also have a caring role, whilst raising awareness of young carers and the issues they face with teachers and other professionals.

The project has recently been awarded £50,000 from the Long Term Conditions Alliance to develop a Digital Storytelling project, which will enable the Project to develop a resource which can be used to raise awareness of carers and young carers amongst professionals and the wider public. The team hopes that this new award will enable them to continue developing carers’ services whilst helping to maintain the long term future of the Project through a social enterprise venture.  Mary has submitted a motion on this in the Scottish Parliament which has received cross-party support.

Douglas and Mary congratulated the staff at Moray Carers’ Project on their work and their success in securing this new award.  Both heard about the considerable financial challenges facing Moray Carers’ Project, particularly the Young Carers’ Service, which only has funding until summer 2010.

Mary Scanlon said:
“Unpaid carers do tremendous work and it was encouraging to see what is being done in Moray and in particular the efforts made to assist young carers.  The stress and strain placed upon a carer of any age can be immense but for a younger person, when combined with school work and trying to socialise with their friends, the pressure is often far greater.”

“The upcoming Young Carers’ Strategy will look to ensure that young carers are identified and adequately supported and I think it is important that the good work which is currently being done to achieve this in Moray continues.”

Douglas Ross added:
“The last year has seen changes to carers services in Moray but I have now met with both Quarriers and the Moray Carers’ Project and it is clear there is an enthusiasm for both organisations to work together for the good of carers in Moray.

“While the providers supporting carers in Moray have changed, the needs of the carers have not.  Only with the right assistance can young carers continue with their excellent work while also living their own life and that is why we have to ensure the support is in place for them across Moray.”

Conservative MSP, Mary Scanlon has submitted the following Motion to the Scottish Parliament:
S3M-05893 Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party): Congratulations to Moray Carers’ Project

That the Parliament congratulates Moray Carers’ Project, part of the Princess Royal Trust for Carers Network, on its recent £50,000 award from the Long-Term Conditions Alliance; considers that this award will enable it to further develop support for unpaid carers in Moray; notes that through the appointment of a digital storyteller the project will be able to produce films in which carers share their experience, concerns and needs, and believes that this will have a number of outcomes, including the creation of a resource that can be used to raise carer awareness among professionals and the wider public, while supporting the sustainability of the project through a possible social enterprise venture.

Additional information about carers in Moray and Scotland.
There are approximately 100,000 young carers in Scotland who provide emotional and practical support to loved ones who could not manage without their help because of illness, frailty, disability, mental health or addiction problems. Carers can be of any age and come from any background. In Scotland, carers save the Scottish Government some £7.6 billion a year, but they often give up jobs and pensions to look after the ones they love.  There are over 11,600 unpaid carers in Moray.

Moray Carers Project is affiliated to The Princess Royal Trust for Carers is the largest provider of comprehensive carers support services in the UK. Through its unique network of independently managed Carers’ Centres and interactive websites – www.carers.org and www.youngcarers.net – The Trust currently provides quality information, advice and support services to carers of all ages and backgrounds.

There are 29 Carers’ Centres throughout Scotland, delivering services in almost all local authority areas from Orkney to the Borders. Moray is one of those centres and has been in existence for almost 10 years, providing expert and tailored advice and support to unpaid carers and young carers in Moray.

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