The theme of Carers Week 2026 is ‘creating carer-friendly communities’.
Carers can face a range of issues that mean they can be, or feel, excluded from many of the activities and communities we take for granted. It can be hard to create the time (and energy) to have a break, or carers might not be able to leave the person they care for alone. Financial pressures can mean that even the cost of transport makes taking part in some things, prohibitive. These factors can lead to an increased sense of isolation, and even desperation, among some carers.
We can all play our part in supporting carers to feel part of activities and communities, by being aware of their needs and being as inclusive as possible in our approach.
In response to this year’s Carers Week theme, carers from our advisory group, Carers Voice, held a workshop with members of staff, to come up with some top tips to enable carers to participate more easily.
Please remember:
Not all carers realise they are carers. Their relationship to the person they’re caring for is usually much more important than the caring label. Your supportive interactions might help someone realise that they are, and you might be able to help signpost them to the support we offer.
Carers have a wealth of useful knowledge and experience to share. Being inclusive means being aware and respectful of this, and creating opportunities for it to be passed on, for the benefit of others.
Residents of BaNES who would like to find out more about the support we offer, can drop in to meet members of staff and Carers Voice at The Carers’ Centre, The Woodlands, Lower Bath Road, BA2 9ES, from 12 noon – 1.30pm, on Wednesday, 10 June.
How to promote activities so that carers know they are welcome:
Carers have highly diverse needs and, like the rest of us, come from all parts of society, including all ethnicities, cultures, sexualities and backgrounds. Seek to be open and visible about how you are inclusive, and what inclusion looks like in practice. It’s really important to create safe spaces where carers can feel comfortable being themselves.
Inclusion means thinking practically about how activities support both the carer and the cared-for, where possible. Use words like ‘carer-friendly’ and/or make clear that ‘plus-ones’ are welcome, when describing your activity
Be flexible on timings and availability, where possible, as carers can face extra restrictions on their time, and it can take carers longer to leave the house or arrive on time.
Offer some contact with the carer before an activity, so that they know what to expect, and any access arrangements or other details can be captured.
Welcoming carers to new settings or meetings:
Have someone ready to ‘meet and greet’ new people and walk into the room with them. It can be daunting, joining a group for the first time.
Encourage people to wear name badges or stickers, and do round-table introductions at every session, so that new attendees feel welcomed.
Remembering names and key details is really important – this demonstrates that the person has been heard, listened to and that people really care.
Consider a buddy system to support new carers joining activities.
Icebreakers can help people feel welcome, included and more comfortable participating.
Having refreshments readily available and accessible throughout sessions helps people to relax and feel at home.
Managing discussion and chat at information sessions:
Create space to listen, if carers want to contribute, but don’t create pressure or have expectations. Just having made it out of the home and their caring setting, can be a very positive first step for carers.
Focus on the person, rather than their caring role, by remembering they have their own life, hobbies, interests and aspirations.
When caring is discussed, it’s important to acknowledge the challenges of being a carer, and to validate the pressures and emotions the carer might be experiencing. Carers can feel guilty taking any time for themselves, for example. One member of the workshop said she really felt supported when someone turned to her and said, “It’s really hard being a carer, isn’t it?” – this removed any feelings of guilt they felt at finding their caring role hard.
Find ways of making sure that the conversation is inclusive so that a diverse range of people can feel welcome. Consider sharing your group’s values in a poster on the wall.
Respect the time restrictions some carers may have by starting and finishing on time – while being aware that they may need to be more flexible.
When offering practical support:
Be proactive in understanding people’s needs rather than waiting for carers to ask for support.
Help carers to recognise and acknowledge the different aspects to their caring role – listen to their tasks and help identify them.
Provide relevant information and proactively seek to source additional information for them - ie take practical steps, rather than offer generic positive affirmations
Be open and honest about what you can offer – transparency is key. Avoid making false promises!