Carers Network at Essex County Council

This is a new network in the Council which has been set up to help provide information and support to employees who are in a caring role or those who wish to find out more about this particular area.

Caring is part of life and most of us will either provide care, unpaid, to someone else, or we will need care ourselves.  This may involve caring for someone with a chronic illness, a disability, a mental health issue or someone who is frail.  They may be a partner, relative, friend or neighbour.  It may also include caring for young children as part of a family.  Whatever the role, caring can be rewarding but can also be very demanding – requiring reserves of emotional and physical energy.

The main aims of the Carers’ Network are:

• To promote and encourage awareness of carer related matters.
• To channel comment on the effectiveness of policies related to those staff who are in a caring role.
• To provide a forum where staff can air their views and seek support on carer related matters.
• To ensure that the network aims are being successfully achieved, the Steering Group meets regularly to talk about what it can do, in terms of information, activities and events, to help meet these aims and support staff.