Posted on: 27 November 2020
CNWL has successfully been awarded the Carer Confident benchmark of Level 2 Accomplished, through the work of its Carers at Work Network.
Carer Confident is a benchmarking scheme run by Employers for Carers, to recognise employers who provide an inclusive, supportive workplace for staff who are or will become carers. It also provides support for employers to build more inclusive workplaces for carers.
Carers at Work Network is a Trust staff network which provides support and guidance for carers in the Trust. It is run by working carers in the Trust.
Co-chairs of the network, Sarah Hulme, Head of Children, Young People and Family Services, CNWL Inner London and Sian Aylett Head of HR Diggory Division said:
“We are so excited that CNWL’s support for its staff carers has been recognised by achieving this award. The Carers at Work staff network has matured in the 3 years since we launched and is reaching out to and supporting many more staff through particular events that we know make a difference to both staff carers and services alike. We are on a journey to further develop and embed the support that we offer and look forward to continuing this journey in partnership with our staff’’.
[Sarah and Sian pictured right]
Hannah Witty, CNWL’s Chief Finance Officer, who is the executive sponsor for this network said: “I am absolutely delighted that CNWL has achieved the Carer Confident Accomplished accreditation, and would like to thank Sarah, Sian, Anne Power and everyone across the network who has contributed their time, energy and stories to enable us to make this progress. I look forward to being part of the CNWL journey to further strengthen the support we provide to working carers and to achieving Carer Confident Ambassador status.”
There are three stages in the Carer Confident grading system, and organisations must work towards meeting certain criteria to be granted the award. The first award is Carer Confident Active, followed by Carer Confident Accomplished, and the last, Carer Confident Ambassador.
The Trust achieved a score of 94 out of 110 in its application, and now has one more stage to go before becoming an ambassador.
One in seven people now juggle work with caring for someone, who is older, ill or disabled. Without the right support, one in six carers are forced to give up work or reduce their hours to manage their caring responsibilities. Many of these carers will be very skilled, experienced staff and at the peak of their carers.
Creating a work environment that supports working carers has benefits for both carers and organisations. Employers can retain skilled and experienced staff, increase productivity, reduce turnover and recruitment costs while empowering staff and increasing their resilience, by supporting them to manage their caring roles.
Learn more about the Carers at Work Staff Network here.
Do you care for someone and also work? Doing both can be tough. Meet Sarah and Sian, co-chairs of CNWL's Carers at Work Network. They share a little about their stories, and how the right support from employers can help carers balance work life with their caring roles.