Jersey charity proposes plan to support voluntary carers

A charity in Jersey has proposed a three-year plan to help those who voluntarily care for their loved ones

A Jersey charity has created a three-year plan to support carers financially and educationally.

Carers Jersey said there were an estimated 5,000 adult carers and 500 young carers looking after family members with little government support.

Its plan proposes financial help for carers to be drafted and for education and training to be provided.

Mimi Burrows, who is a full-time carer for her husband, said support was needed from the government.

Mimi Burrows has cared for her husband full time for the past six years

She said: "If I needed to go into hospital for a bit of a stay, who would look after my husband, and who would step in and help me?

"No-one steps forward and says 'Oh this will be in place, don't worry, if you need this we have this already in place'."

Mrs Burrows said she found she had to "chase, chase, chase" for support from the government.

Dr Margaret Bayes of Carers Jersey said the pressures on carers could be "enormous".

She said: "Not only the carers themselves, but also their friends and relatives to look after them and say to them 'Are you ok?' because sometimes all they need is someone to care about them."

The charity proposed the following regulations in its three-year plan:

• Prioritise getting the right respite care at the right time

• Appoint a minister for carers to represent its cause

• Put forward legislation for financial support through education and training, especially for young carers

Jersey's health minister said he understood the pressures Jersey's carers faced

Jersey's Health Minister Deputy Richard Renouf said any protection in law should start with the islanders who were being cared for.

He said: "We do need to give protection in law but I think it would be far preferable if we started with the people, the vulnerable people who need the care, give them the legal rights to an assessment and then the delivery of the care they need.

"This would then incorporate all the rights that carers need also."

Carers Jersey said it hoped islanders' voluntary roles supporting their loved ones would be "recognised" by the government through its plan.

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