The Quality Standard in Carer Support Accreditation for Employers and Further Education Providers Carers Federation © Copyright Carers Federation

How Carers enhance the Workforce There are 213,000 people in England and Wales juggling full-time work with providing 50 hours a week of unpaid care Organisation Skills Experience of attending meetings and working with services/professionals Management of finances Patience and the ability to work under pressure Empathy and understanding Reliability Resourcefulness and initiative Self Learning and management Independence Personal qualities and experiences © Copyright Carers Federation

The Development of the QSCS Collate key findings to distribute to stakeholders Development of an advisory network for employers/colleges and universities Establishment of a steering group Consultation with carers to consolidate barriers and most significant issues Development of the 8 point standard , materials / training and support packages Creation over a 3 year period of the Quality Standard in Carer Support (QSCS) Start of two pilot programmes East Midlands Launch

Consultations – Key Findings Carer Involvement Consultations – Key Findings Lack of clarity in ‘carer’ definition and needs – unhelpful stereotypes / stigma Fear of identification in the work place / college Small changes can have big outcomes Carers leaving employment / education during crisis periods Lack of communication Lack of policy and consistency across organisations Need for greater flexibility with particular reference to crisis periods Need for better communication and greater understanding of carers’ needs Need to review and develop policies © Copyright Carers Federation

Accreditation benefits for organisations Improved productivity / retention /performance and achievement Improved attendance / reduced sick leave Improved staff/student morale and motivation Contributes to an ethos of inclusion and equality of opportunity Demonstrates Social Responsibility and a commitment to staff and students Increased communication and ability to evidence a culture of understanding

234 carers identified and supported since 2012/13 Gained the QSCS in 2013 Nominated for the 2014 TES FE Awards under the Student Support category 234 carers identified and supported since 2012/13 Current retention of carers at 95% 2014/15 Created a team of trained Peer Mentors who have experience of caring themselves Support staff have received carer specific training Closed social network being developed Increased awareness of carers issues across the college among staff and students Networking opportunities as a result of gaining the standard raising the profile of carers and the support available in college – directly responding to what carers want. “Young adult carers are a particularly vulnerable group of people who, through no fault of their own, are at risk of not achieving or succeeding in education. By working collaboratively with the Carers Federation, we can tailor support for individuals to help them achieve their goals and realise their dreams. The new Quality Standard for Education will help raise the profile of young carers (and the dilemmas faced by them) and remove the stigma that can be associated with being a carer.” Vicki Stockdale, Behaviour and Support Manager

Working towards QSCS since 2013 Disabled employees and carers forum Executive Management Team Champion QSCS work provides a focus for the forum in a similar way to the Stonewall Workplace Index QSCS focussed meeting helped the group achieve a larger attendance “”I am delighted to be involved in the Carers Federation Quality Standard because it doesn’t just support the carers in our workforce; it will help us demonstrate our overall commitment to staff and promote flexible working.” Vincent Bryce, Equality and Diversity Manager

Identification of student carers pre-enrolment Student bursary system adapted to ensure it is more accessible to carers Increased understanding of the complexities that affect students with caring roles Key staff members across the university brought together to create a core working group Key employees trained to advise staff as to how best to support carers Development of carers pages on website information Served as a platform to improve current systems around attendance Internal training packages developed giving longevity to the University’s capacity to support student carers “This training more than met my expectations. It can be difficult to justify time out of the office , but this was really worthwhile and I’m so glad I made time” “The content was pitched at the right level for us as we are just starting the process, it was thought-provoking and left me feeling enthused”

Key Achievement Points QSCS Employment Designated Member of Staff Staff Induction Staff Training Carers Policy Flexible Working Guidelines Information and Signposting Carers Group Networking/Good Practice Education Student Induction Crisis Support/Referral © Copyright Carers Federation

Feedback on the Standard “I am delighted to be involved in the Carers Federation Quality Standard because it doesn’t just support the carers in our workforce; it will help us demonstrate our overall commitment to staff and promote flexible working.” Vincent Bryce, Equality and Diversity Manager at Nottingham City Homes. “Young adult carers are a particularly vulnerable group of people who, though no fault of their own, are at risk of not achieving or succeeding in education. By working collaboratively with the Carers Federation, we can tailor support for individuals to help them achieve their goals and realise their dreams. The new Quality Standard for Education will help raise the profile of young carers (and the dilemmas faced by them) and remove the stigma that can be associated with being a carer.” Vicki Stockdale, Behaviour and Support Manager at Central College, Nottingham.

Institute of Learning and Work Pilot August 2017- February 2018 Quality Standard in Carer Support Pilot Project Learning and Work Institute (L&W) and the Carers Federation are being supported by the Department for Education to offer free and tailored consultancy advice to colleges who wish to improve their support for young adult carers. Delivery of the Quality Standard will provide targeted and intensive one to one support for up to 10 colleges throughout England to enable them to develop an effective and embedded whole system approach to supporting young adult carers. This work will enable to assess the broad outcomes of successful QSCS accreditation and to be evidenced through an Impact Report.

QSCS Development QSCS Long term changes for carers nationally Better quality of life and improved outcomes for carers Potential reduction in NEET Long term changes for carers nationally Carers Centres deliver the QSCS Empowerment QSCS Influence employers and education providers locally Carers Federation to empower local carers/ services nationally who have expertise in the locality Accreditation Publicity Raise profile of carers © Copyright Carers Federation