Leeds Beckett University - City Campus,
Woodhouse Lane,
LS1 3HE
Supporting carers
Support, advice and guidance on caring issues
Currently in Leeds, there are around 74,000 unpaid carers. A carer is someone who, without payment, provides help and support to a parent, partner, child, relative, friend or neighbour who could not manage without their help.Â
This could be due to age, physical or mental health issues, substance misuse or disability. Help provided by Carers could include personal care such as helping them get dressed or administering medication, or could be supporting them with day to day tasks such as shopping or managing money.
For working carers managing the dual pressures of work and home life can be difficult and without support, carers may suffer from stress and/or exhaustion or may simply give up work all together.
At Leeds Beckett, we want to ensure that all colleagues can thrive at work by offering access to support, raising awareness and establishing a culture of support.
Joining the Working Carers network
I've been caring for relatives with a range of illnesses, on top of full time work and professional studies, since 2001. I hadn’t thought of myself as a carer until a colleague in Wellbeing, with whom I’d been chatting about work v’s life, asked if I would be interested in joining a group that they were hoping to set up for Leeds Beckett staff with caring responsibilities. For me, a carer was formal or paid assistance, not just family pulling together when times were tough. As I heard more about it, I realised I was actually a carer and so decided to join.
The Carers’ Network was great. It provided a safe space to share experiences with colleagues who understood and didn't judge, as well as signposting to external services. Although work can be an escape, a bit of structure amidst the chaos, you sometimes need real support - to which you're entitled and without an unnecessary battle to get it. When you're already physically and mentally tired, you don't need that on top of everything else you’re helping your loved ones through.
Trying to manage multiple responsibilities, alongside the general ups and downs of day to day life can have a huge impact on your levels of wellbeing. Whether you are getting used to life as a working carer due to a recent event or diagnosis, or whether long term juggling of responsibilities is taking its toll, we have resources available on our colleague wellbeing webpages to help you.
Our employee assistance service offers 24/7 confidential in-the-moment support when you need it. To access support please contact:- Freephone 0808 196 2016
Email: EmployeeAssistanceProgramme@Spectrum.life
