Ann P. Palmer

The intersection of employment and care: evidence from a UK case study

Working carers are a key focus of UK policies on health and social care and employment. Complementing national and European evidence, this paper presents a local case study of working carers. It draws on data from a county-wide survey containing a module on caring. Data were primarily categorical and were analysed using SPSS. Three quarters of all carers who responded to the survey were of working age: two thirds were employed and one third had been employed previously. The majority of working carers were mid-life extra-resident women. Over half of cared for relatives were elderly parents/in law; ‘physical illness’ was the primary cause of dependency. A tenth provided intensive care and half reported that caring adversely affected their health. Both were triggers for leaving employment. Two thirds of households received input from services and/or friends/family; being a co-resident carer appeared to mitigate against service allocation. Four issues were identified as pivotal to facilitating employment: access to advice and information, the availability of a matrix of affordable good-quality social-care services, ‘joined up’ needs assessment of the carer and cared for person, and employers identifying carers in their workforce. Europes ageing profile underscores the studys timeliness.

Service user involvement: Does it leave people standing on the side-lines? 13th World Congress IASSID

Aim: This study investigated the knowledge base of palliative health care professionals working with people with intellectual disabilities who were dying. Method: Focus groups were held with 38 doctors and nurses in 7 specialist palliative care providers in Kent, UK. Areas of discussion included levels of professional experience in the care of people with ID, areas of concern and barriers to care provision. Results: Data showed that involvement of specialist palliative care services for people with intellectual disability is small. Specialists expressed the view that their training and knowledge of this patient group is also low and that this resulted in anxieties as to how to adequately care for this patient group. Conclusions: Specialist palliative care providers have little contact with patients with ID and know little about their specific ID needs. Whilst there may be no obvious discrim- ination against these patients there is a need for greater awareness of ID amongst staff, at all levels, so that the needs of people with ID can be addressed adequately, and appropriately.Aim: Social inclusion is de?ned as having a broad social network and participating in community based activities including paid work. Employment provides independence, empowerment and choice, enabling increased self-esteem and status helping to overcome prejudice and stigma. Government policy in the UK also stresses the importance of the bene?ts of work aiming to end discrimination faced by disabled people. A UK social care organization commissioned the Tizard Centre to compare a social enterprise to day centre provision in relation to social networks from the view point of service users. Method: Semi-structured interviews were held with ?? individuals with intellectual disabilities, ?? of whom worked in the social enterprise, the rest attending day centres across ? areas of a county in South East England. In line with service user involvement, participants were supported to disseminate results. Results: Compared to individuals attending day centres, those working in the social enterprise scored signi?cantly higher on life experience domains, selfesteem and satisfaction levels and differences in knowledge of employment rights were found. However, no differences in social network size or density were recorded. Conclusions: Social enterprises are better training grounds for future employment compared to day centres but social inclusion is still lacking.