Carers

As a carer you may have been unable to work due to your caring role.

If you want to start, return or stay in work you can be supported to combine both caring and working together.

When you start thinking about getting into work, write down:

• The skills and knowledge you have gained from any paid or voluntary work you did
• The different skills and responsibilities you have in your caring role
• Your interests and experience that can help towards finding work.

You are likely to have many transferable skills that you have gained from your caring role such as:

• Budgeting
• Problem solving
• Multi-tasking
• Communications
• Social skills.

The skills and responsibilities you have in your caring role are transferable to a wide range of job roles in health and social care.

There are organisations and services that can support you to find suitable work. Some of these organisations can offer training to help build your confidence and to prepare you for work.

Support in the workplace

As somebody combining a caring role with paid employment you are likely to need support in the workplace, at different times and on a number of different levels.

There are millions of people who combine being a carer with having a job. One of the ways an employer can support carers who are working is by making them aware of their right to work​- flexibly and to seriously consider flexible working. Flexible working is not just about part-time working, it can include:

• Flexible starting and finishing times or time in lieu arrangements
• Compressed working hours
• Annualised working hours
• Job sharing or part-time employment
• Working from home
• Flexible holidays to fit in with alternative care arrangements
• Purchased leave.