Keith Brown MSP, Member of the Scottish Parliament for the Clackmannanshire & Dunblane constituency, has marked Carers Week, highlighting this year’s theme of ‘Making Caring Visible and Valued’.
Speaking this last week, Keith said:
“There are a huge number of unpaid carers across the country, playing a role in our society’s support network that is far too often unnoticed and undervalued. Indeed, many – particularly those caring for loved ones – struggle to recognise themselves as carers rather than someone ‘just doing what you do’ for a parent or a partner, a child or a sibling.
“The Scottish Government recognises the importance of their efforts and that is why we have brought in the Carers Act, the Carers Allowance Supplement and the Young Carers Grant.
“The past year has, I think, shone a light on the extent to which we depend on our unpaid carers and that is why – alongside the plan to develop a National Care Service for Scotland – we will be making a double payment to those receiving Carers Allowance and paying additional funds to those looking after more than one disabled person.
“So, as we mark this year’s Carers Week, we should all recognise the importance of unpaid carers and thank them for what they do. But more than that, we need to continue to look for more and better ways to support carers, to ensure that caring is both visible and valued.”