This guidance outlines the support available to employees who have a caring responsibility so that they can balance work with caring commitments and continue to be effective in their role. Who is a carer? A carer is a person who provides a substantial amount of unpaid care on a regular basis for another individual or a person who provides more occasional support to cope with changes in circumstances or health of another individual. The University recognises that a carer can be a spouse, parent, sibling, child or other dependent and could be living in the same home as the person being cared for or further away. Support The University appreciates that caring places demands on employees and at times it may be difficult for them to combine work and caring responsibilities. Therefore the University will adopt the following principles: To give sympathetic consideration to requests for support from those who have caring responsibilities, based on a shared understanding of the situation and its impact at work To view the making of requests for support as acceptable and ensure that no one is treated unfairly because of their caring responsibilities To handle requests for support with discretion and tact Policies to Support Carers A range of University policies can be used to help support employees who need time off to care for relatives or dependents either on a short or longer term basis. Internal Carer Support The following services and groups can be contacted for emotional support or informal advice. External Carer Support External support available to carers. Legal and Financial Information for Carers External legal and financial support for carers. This article was published on 2024-09-23
