Improving support for adults caring for older parents

Through conversations and workshops with carents around the UK, it became apparent that there is no single way to be a carent.  Some people live with a parent and support them around the clock. Others care from a distance while working, looking after children or managing their own health. Some share the responsibility with family; others carry it alone. The role can change, too. It might start with shopping or arranging appointments and grow as a parent needs more help. If a parent moves into a care home, the responsibility may change rather than end.

Work can be difficult to manage when a parent’s needs are unpredictable. Some carents used annual leave, reduced their hours, became self-employed or left work. Another felt they couldn’t apply for another job, as they might need time off during probation. So, caring can affect future opportunities as well as the job someone had now.

Through listening to carents and the gaps they identified, our project produced a series of short videos for use online and on social media. Please watch and share widely; we have four shorts and one video combining all together. Further outputs from the project include a top tips guide by current carents for future carents detailing what they wished they had known in advance, and two resources for employers: a guide for carents to start a conversation with their manager and a guide for managers supporting employees.