Carer Positive is a Scottish Government funded initiative, launched in June 2014 and operated by Carers Scotland. It aims to raise awareness of the growing number of carers in the workforce and to award recognition to those employers with good practice in supporting their employees.
There are around 760,000 unpaid carers in Scotland, 270,000 of which are juggling their carer responsibilities with work – this equates to as many as 1 in 8 of the workforce.
Following a debate in the Scottish Parliament on the Carer Positive Employer Initiative, Graeme met with the Director of Carers Scotland, Simon Hodgson, who presented Graeme with the award.
The Angus South Constituency MSP is a keen advocate of the scheme, sponsoring a Parliamentary reception in February 2017, where the Scottish Parliament was recognised as a Carer Positive organisation.
With over 90 employers in Scotland now recognised as Carer Positive, the local MSP, who is also a Living Wage accredited employer, has urged Parliamentary colleagues and local businesses in the Angus South constituency to come forward and join the initiative.
Commenting, Graeme said:
I was delighted to support the Carer Positive initiative and become an accredited employer. I felt it important to lead by example.
With as many as 1 in 8 of the Scottish workforce estimated to be carers, it is important that organisations of all sizes get behind the initiative and provide the right level of support for their staff.
I am urging organisations in the Angus South constituency to come forward and become recognised too. To date, of the 90 organisations that have been accredited, 28 have been small businesses, demonstrating that regardless of size employers can achieve Carer Positive status.
Any local businesses that are interested in becoming Carer Positive can contact the organisation directly or speak to myself.