History of the Coalition of Carers in Scotland
The Coalition of Carers in Scotland developed in 1995 as a result of a broader political context
- The campaign around the Carers (Recognition and Services) Act 1995 - led by Carers National Association (CNA) - had demonstrated the value of local carer organisations cooperating on issues of national and local importance, and this led to the first meeting of the Coalition in March 1996 in Aberdeen.
- The growing number of local carer groups - often under-resourced and working in isolation - identified many common features, not least the need to share good practice.
- The campaign for democratic reform and devolution had led to the establishment of Scotland's Parliament (HL) and had generated a new emphasis on the involvement and participation of local people in planning, decision making and the development of better services.
Since 1995, the carers movement in Scotland has grown in size, confidence and public recognition. Many organisations have contributed to this - CNA Scotland by spearheading the Carers (Recognition and Services) Act; the Princess Royal Trust for Carers by increasing the number of local carer centres; and organisations such as Crossroads Scotland, Shared Care Scotland (HL) and Alzheimer Scotland Action on Dementia
In 1997, 'carer politics' in Scotland received a significant boost. The election of a Labour government in May and the referendum on Scotland's future in September 1997 opened up new opportunities for carers. This allowed all carer organisations to reassess their role in the 'new' Scotland, and in this process the Coalition of Carers in Scotland became an important new national network for carers and their local organisations.
The Work of the Coalition since 1999
1999 was a significant year for carer politics. In February, the British government launched the National Strategy for Carers (HL), and later that year the new Parliament in Scotland adopted the Strategy for Carers in Scotland
Throughout 1999, the Coalition developed its profile and engaged with representatives of the Department of Health' Strategy Group and the Scottish Executive.
During 1999, the Coalition launched three summary guides (HL) to publicise the National Carers Strategy, aimed at carers and everyone working with carers. A year later 17,000 copies of the Coalition booklets had been distributed to carers in Scotland.
In November 1999, Iain Gray MSP, Deputy Minister for Community Care, launched the Strategy for Carers in Scotland in Parliament, and a few days later he met Coalition members in Glasgow and paid tribute to the role of carers and the work of the Coalition.
The Coalition was formally accepted by the Scottish Executive and other national agencies as a national carers network representing many of the local concerns of carers and serving as an indispensible network to monitor implementation of new policies on the ground.
The following is a guide to external websites detailing recent Scottish legislation:
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