About the national carer organisations

Scotland's Carers Manifesto and the Time to Deliver campaign have been produced by a partnership of the national carer organisations.  They are:

• Carers Scotland - Carers give so much to society yet as a consequence of caring, they experience poverty, ill health and discrimination.  Carers Scotland is part of Carers UK, an organisation of carers fighting to end this injustice and we will not stop until people recognise the true value of carers' contribution to society and they get the practical, financial and emotional support they need.  Carers Scotland seeks to improve carers' lives by: providing information, advice and training opportunities to carers and workers; campaigning and lobbying throughout Scotland and at UK government level; developing policy and good practice; and promoting and supporting carer involvement in the design, development and delivery of services.  Our CarersLine (0808 808 7777) provides information and advice to around 20,000 carers each year.  In one week, we helped carers claim £30,000.  

• Coalition of Carers in Scotland - The Coalition is a network of over 80 local carer organiations seeking to provide support and collective strength to local carer-led groups.  The Coalition aims to: provide networking, information and mutual support for carer-led organisations in Scotland; to bring carers and workers together to explore issues, analyse developments and identify key issues affecting carers in Scotland; to develop a collective response to key issues enabling members of the Coalition to bring their concerns to the attention of interested parties at local, regional and national level.

• Crossroads Caring Scotland - There are 48 Crossroads schemes throughout Scotland providing over one million hours of practical support for carers each year.  Crossroads schemes are governed by local volunteers who employ dedicated care staff to provide high quality care in the family home.  Crossroads Caring Scotland is the national organisation which support the ongoing development of the movement, ensuring that local services are equipped to meet the exacting standards of statutory regulation and carers themselves.  Crossroads Caring Scotland also manages the Carers Information and Support Line which exists to help carers access local services.

• The Princess Royal Trust for Carers -  The Trust is the largest provider of carers support services in the UK, through its network of 129 independently managed carers centres and interactive websites.  The Trust currently provides quality information, advice and support services to 290,000 carers including just over 15,000 young carers.  In addition, the Trust also acts independently in the interests of carers through research, development and consultation, influence at national, regional and local policy; partnerships with other national organisations; information through our interactive websites, providing advice and access to support groups.

• Scottish Young Carers Alliance - The Alliance represents young carers projects throughout Scotland in promoting and supporting the development and implementation of policy and practices to ensure that young carers are recognised as children and young people first and given the support they need to have a much more normal childhood.  There are 26 carers centres with young carers projects attached to them and there are dozens of other young carers projects and clubs in Scotland run by organisations such as Crossroads, NCH and MS Scotland.

• Shared Care Scotland - Shared Care Scotland promotes and supports the development of short breaks (respite care) throughout Scotland, focusing on ensuring that those requiring short breaks, their carers and their families (wherever they live in Scotland) are offered real choice in terms of what, where and how the services they require are provided.  Shared Care Scotland also works to support the further development of "alternative short breaks" throughout Scotland, often referred to as natural breaks without boundaries or community based respite.

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