Katie's Gender Argument - Against Group

Gender: Evidence to demonstrate the Government are working towards men and women being supported in their roles as carers/cultural issues and employment law

Parent & Family Support Services

Parent and Family Support Services have been put in place, which are run jointly by the Primary Care Trusts (PCT’s) and Local Authorities, linking with Sure Start Children’s Centres. These services are available during and beyond the school day to accommodate working parents. The multi-agency services that are available are important vehicles for delivering better information and support for parents and carers.

The Every Parent Matters document was published in March 2007, acknowledges the changes in family circumstances since the 1970’s, where some families today will be caring for children and elderly relatives. The health-led parenting projects have started in 10 areas across England, the findings will report on how best to deliver high quality, health-led parenting support. The aim is to get parents involved in their child’s development through a coherent set of services.

It is true that evidence collected so far suggests that father’s involvement has been minimal, which is why opening times have been extended, information is available via the web and over the phone. It is an active process where the needs of different cultures are taken into account, the policies are changing to engage fathers.

The Every Child Matters Agenda aims to provide parents and carers with ‘good quality universal support’, which can be obtained locally, where parents and carers feel comfortable, for example from early years settings, schools, primary health care services, through childcare information services, telephone helplines and the web.


Our Health, Our Care, Our Say

This White Paper sets out the government’s vision to provide people in need of social care and/or NHS services with the care they need in the communities where they live.

The NHS is half way through it’s 10 year plan in becoming more responsive to and more convenient for patients needs, to prevent ill health by promoting healthy lifestyles. Social care services are also changing to give service users more independence, choice and control.

Feedback from the 2005 consultations reported that the public see leading a healthy, active and independent life as a key priority

Advances in primary care aim to ensure they can easily access quality GP Services

People want health and social care services that are convenient and integrated to meet their individual needs.

Money is now available to Regional Trusts to develop more community services.
Commissioning powers for local practices will result in improved services for everyone.

Ensuring integrated practices and quality of information available for patients.

www.dh.gov.uk/en/Policyandguidance/Organisationpolicy/Modernisation/Ourhealthourcareoursay/DH

About Our health, our care, our say
Last modified date:5 March 2007

In 2005 the Department of Health conducted two consultations, Independence, Wellbeing and Choice and a listening exercise, Your health, your care, your say. Independence, Wellbeing and Choice, the adult social care Green Paper, asked for views on how social care services could be improved. The listening exercise, Your health, your care, your say, allowed the public to speak directly to ministers, health professionals, and each other on how improvements could be made to their local services. 


What people wanted
Nearly 143,000 people contributed their views on what they expected from their local social care and NHS services. People wanted their local services to:
* understand how they live and support them to lead healthier lives
* help them to live independently if they have ongoing health or social care needs
* be easy to get to and convenient to use
* be nearer to where they live, or easily available in the areas they work.
The White Paper
In July 2005 Liam Byrne announced these two consultations would form the basis of a single White Paper. The Paper would recognise how NHS and social care services work together and identify how the delivery of these services could adapt to provide individuals with the health and social care services they need closer to their homes.
The proposals in the White Paper, Our health, our care, our say: a new direction for community services, aim to:
* change the way these services are provided in communities and make them as flexible as possible
* provide a more personal service that is tailored to the specific health or social care needs of individuals
* give patients and service users more control over the treatment they receive
* work with health and social care professionals and services to get the most appropriate treatment or care for their needs.
Changing the services
To achieve these aims family doctors, primary care trusts and local authorities who have direct contact with patients and service users will have more say in how best to plan and buy services for local communities. Public, private, voluntary and charitable organisations will need to work in partnership to put the interests of the public first, ensure health and social care staff receive the right training and make good health and social care services an essential part of local communities.

Department of Health 'Caring for People' 1989 'provision of services which people who are affected by problems of ageing, mental illness, mental handicap or physical or sensory disability need to be able to live as independent a life as possible in their own homes or in homely settings in the community.'

The 2001 census showed that 21% of population were over 60, so there are more older people than children. In 1951 there were 0.2 million people over 85, but by 2001 there were 1.1 million. This would suggest a dramatic growth in the need for care provision for the elderly.

There are also more women than men in the older age bracket, therefore the statistics will show more women carers.

Local Authority Circulars are sent out frequently to provide practitioners with clarity on law and policy.

• Families are entitled to a Family Needs Assessment under the Children Act 1989
• Under the Carers (Equal Opportunities) Act 2004, which came into effect in April 2005, carers were entitled to an assessment of their needs, which included consideration for employment, education & leisure activities
• The Carers and Disabled Children Act 2000 supports the carer in their caring role, helping them to maintain their own health and well-being
• Since April 2007 an employee has the right to ask their employer for flexible working hours if they are caring for an adult relative, or someone who lives at their address
• Carers also have the right to take (unpaid) time off work for dependents in cases of emergency.


Question:
Why are services designed mainly for women and delivered by women?

Answer:
The Government have put into place services, which are designed to meet the needs of communities. Statistics show (need some stats here) that women are providing the majority of care in this country, so we have made provisions for those who need it. The Government has recognized the need to extend these services to engage men, which is why services are now open beyond the school day, there are also telephone and internet services available.

It is well documented that employment in the area of caring is traditionally dominated by women, however this is changing as men become more involved in caring for their dependents. Our research acknowledges the need for more men in these roles if engaging male carers is to become a success.