Hudson, Gayle

Larkin, Mary

English

Open Research Online

Open Research OnlineThe Open University’s repository of research publicationsand other research outputsCare and caring network@OU news bulletin 2018OtherHow to cite:Larkin, Mary and Hudson, Gayle (2018). Care and caring network@OU news bulletin 2018. The Open University.For guidance on citations see FAQs.c© [not recorded]Version: Version of RecordCopyright and Moral Rights for the articles on this site are retained by the individual authors and/or other copyrightowners. For more information on Open Research Online’s data policy on reuse of materials please consult the policiespage.oro.open.ac.ukNews - Updates - Events - Community Can't see images? Click here...This week (11-17 June) is Carers Week. A carer is anyone who cares, unpaid, for afriend or family member who due to illness,disability, a mental health problem or an addictioncannot cope  without their support(Carers Trust, 2017) There are over 6.5 million carers in the UK and 1 in 3 of us will be a carer at somestage in our lives. Caring affects us all including OU staff and students. The Care and Caring Network @OU is a formal corporate network forknowledge exchange around care and caring, the promotion of carers rights within theOpen University and the provision of information, advice and guidance in carer-relatedpolicy development.The network is made up of 4 subgroups:curriculum development for carerscarer researchstaff who carestudent support and widening participationIn this newsletter we have gathered together an update on some of the projects andactivities that are going on across the University and further afield. Network News The OU’s has been recognised as a Carer Positive Employer at the established level.Several members of the network contributed to the development of the application. Moredetails below under 'News from Scotland'Curriculum development for carersThe Open University has some specificcurriculum that may be of interest tocarers. Carers are likely to be peoplewho regularly do not put their owninterests or needs first as they oftenprioritise the needs of the person theyare caring for.  We know that learningnot only improves knowledge and education but it also improves health and well-being.  The curriculum we offer encourages carers to think about their own needsmore and covers subjects including family health, the caring role, legalresponsibilities, adopting a person-centred approach to care, personaldevelopment and top tips for looking after themselves. We also link to some resources offered by one of our social partners, LeonardCheshire Disability, who, as well as being the largest charity working to supportpeople with disabilities, also have a strong focus on providing advice, support andresources for carers.If you know of any curriculum developments or existing curriculum offered by theOU that we can link to please do contact me. Julie.Gowen@open.ac.uk Carer researchThis group continues to welcomenew members with an interest incarer research from across theuniversity. We receive regularupdates on funding opportunitiesand in addition to collaborating on research projects, members meet and worktogether to share ideas and write papers. This year, three members havesubmitted a paper on care and surveillance to the new International Journal ofCare and Caring. Another member has published a paper on a scoping review ofcarer-related knowledge and evidence (https://rdcu.be/QCGy).The Carer research  group is now recognised as one of School of Health, Wellbeingand Social Care’s research groups and as such as the same Terms and Conditionsas the other research groups in the School.Contact Mary.Larkin@open.ac.ukStaff who careStaff wellbeing day on 13JuneFor staff and student carers oncampus there's a support sessionfor carers during National Carers’Week at 10am. Details of all planned events at:http://intranet6.open.ac.uk/human-resources/news/staff-wellbeing-day-13-junePeer Support Caring for somebody can be hard - mentally and physically. Let's affirmour Established Carer Positive status - can carers at the OU support other carers?Perhaps meet up for a coffee or over lunch with somebody who understands yoursituation? Start an email support group? What do you think?If you have any ideas about how we can help each other, contact me, share ideasfor others to input into, and let's see what we can do.Contact: Lesley.McGrath@open.ac.uk Policy updates and caring in the news22 May 2018: Prime minister calls on employers to do more to support agingworkforce - PM's Science and Modern Industrial Strategy speech.18 May 2018: Flexible working should be a ‘day one’ right for carers, say MPs:Student support and widening participationThis sub group of the @OU Care and Caring Networkfocuses on the widening participation and studentsupport activities across the University.We are trying to bring together and share goodpractice and increase the support we offer ourstudents who are carers. As part of our Widening Access work in Wales, wehave been running a pilot project to help find out more about the needs of  studentcarersoffer specific support to carers to improve recruitment, completion,retention, progression and employability.feed findings from this project into the OU Care and Caring network andgenerally help to inform University wide policy around best practice andsystems for supporting carers.We have recently launched our carers pack for students in Wales. Online Forum for Students in Carers Week From 11 - 17  June we are supporting the OU Student Association to run a forumfor our student carers. We have a bank of people including student facilitatorswho have agreed to help out and we aim to provide a safe space for students tosupport each other over the week. They will also be able to post specific queriesand gain advice and information from OU support staff. Contact: Gayle.Hudson@open.ac.ukGill.Ryan@open.ac.uk News from ScotlandCaring about outcomesOn 30 May, we organised aknowledge exchange eventcalled Caring about Outcomeswhich was attended by morethan 50 practitioners fromsocial work, health and carerscentres around Scotland. DrJoyce Cavaye (WELS) gave apresentation on her researchrelated to caring – a temporalmodel of the caregiving journey. Joyce noted that carers tend to seek supportfrom services quite late in their caring journey and too often find it “a battle”.Claire Cairns of the Coalition of Carers gave an overview of the new Carers Actwhich came into force on 1 April this year. This is milestone legislation whichredefines ‘carer’ more broadly than previously and gives all adult carers the rightto a support plan focused on their personal outcomes. Claire also discussed thatthe legislation stopped short of giving carers the right to breaks from caring, butthey must be considered in the support plan. This was followed by sessions onpersonal outcomes and short break provision for carers. Some carers centres areworking with carers to find creative, carer-led solutions which challenge the ideaof traditional respite. The event finished with a presentation on Caring Counts – anOpenLearn Create course co-produced with carers, carers organisations and theOUiS. A link to the presentations will be added to the CCN@OU intranet site soon.Going HigherDuring Carers Week, Gill Ryan will attend the Going Higher for Student Carersconference. The focus of the conference is the Going Higher award for Scottishuniversities and colleges, which evidences their commitment to identifying andsupporting. The OU will be going through the process for this award over thecoming months and will build on outcomes from OU Cymru’s carers pilot projectand other work across the network.Carer PositiveWe are delighted to announce that the OU has recently been awarded CarerPositive established status.  The CCN@OU team has worked with the HRdepartment over the past year to apply for the established award, having gainedengaged status in 2015. The Carer Positive award recognises employers who offersupport to carers in their workforce, allowing them the flexibility they need tocontinue to care and work. While it is a Scottish Government funded initiativeadministered by Carers Scotland, it is being awarded to the whole Open Universityas the support provided to staff is available across the four nations. We arehoping to arrange the presentation of the award for 3 July when HR Director FionaRoberts is in the OUiS in Edinburgh.Open Learning for CarersAt the Open Learning Champions network event in Glasgow on 6 June, one of ourchampions presented on how they are using the Caring Counts online course withcarers. Anna Gibb (pictured) of the Glasgow Association for Mental Health (GAMH)described some of the goals and outcomes carers had achieved as a result of thecourse.One learner, who has been caring for her son for over 20 years, took part in theCaring Counts course delivered offline with a group of carers. She struggled a weebit initially as she was not used to thinking about herself. On completing thecourse, she has gained confidence and self-belief, and has achieved many of theoutcomes she identified in her support plan. ‘The other people were so friendly. The course brought us all together, it openedan avenue for us to bond and it mentally helped us all. The course made mebecome aware of who I am and what I’ve achieved in the past.  I felt really goodafter each class, like I was walking on air.’Another OUiS course Caring Counts in the Workplace was recently updated toreflect changes to carers’ rights as a result of the Carers Act (2016) which cameinto force in April. This course is aimed at employers who support carers at work.Both courses sit on the OpenLearn Create platform.Start a conversation and keep in touch Join our Yammer group Check out our intranet pages  Join our Facebook Group Join our network - contact Mary.Larkin@open.ac.uk Support organisations Carers Trust  Carers UKForthcoming events11- 17 June - Student Forum for Carers13 June - Staff wellbeing day 13 June - Lunch and Learn session at OU in Wales -                  Work with carers16 June - Workshop at AL Staff Development inCardiff                      focusing on supporting student carers  You are receiving this email as a member of the Care and Caring Network @OU  Please note that unsubscribing willunsubscribe you from all Open University emails which is not recommended. If you would like to be removed from Careand Caring Network mailing list please email Gayle.Hudson@open.ac.uk Unsubscribe

Care and caring network@OU news bulletin 2018

http://oro.open.ac.uk/61946/1/newsletter%20June%202018

Care and caring network@OU news bulletin 2018

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