Young Scot are the 100th employer to be recognised as giving extra help and support to employees who are carers, under a Scottish Government accreditation scheme.

The Carer Positive scheme – which is administered by Carers Scotland on behalf of Scottish Government – encourages businesses to demonstrate their commitment to supporting employees who provide care and support for elderly or disabled relatives.

Public Health Minister Aileen Campbell said:

“Carers make an immense contribution to society, providing millions of hours of unpaid care a week . We want to ensure they get the support they need to have a life alongside their caring, and look after their own wellbeing.

“With carers making up a significant proportion of our working population, it is important that employers do what they can to support them. I am delighted Carer Positive has reached this significant milestone.

“This is a particularly important occasion when 2018 marks the Year of Young People, ensuring we recognise and celebrate young people, and support all of them to achieve their full potential.”

Young Scot chief executive Louise Macdonald said:

“We’re thrilled to become the one hundredth Carer Positive employer and I’d encourage all organisations to get involved in the scheme. It’s simply the right thing to do for your employees, your team and your workplace and being a Carer Positive Employer will help us to attract and retain talented people at Young Scot.

“Being Carer Positive is especially important to young carers, who have the right to the same opportunities as other young people. Showing you are a Carer Positive employer gives young people confidence that an employer is here to support them as individuals to help them to grow and thrive.”

Carers Scotland award manager Sue McLintock said:

“We are absolutely delighted to recognise Young Scot as the 100th Carer Positive employer in Scotland. They have demonstrated real commitment in providing a working environment where carers not only feel valued, but can access support and flexibility in how they manage their work and caring responsibilities.

“It’s been really encouraging to work with employers across the country who are now proud to call themselves Carer Positive, from very small businesses and voluntary organisations to large private sector and public bodies.  We would love to support more organisations on this journey and are confident that the number will continue to grow.”

 Background

 With 100 employers already recognised, and more to be awarded in the coming weeks, the Carer Positive scheme now covers organisations with 300,000 employees across the public, private and third sectors.