Social Care
Women and Social Care in Scotland
Statement from SWC Chair, Agnes Tolmie, following the publication of the Independent Review into Adult Social Care in Scotland:
“The SWC welcome much of the findings within the Independent Review of Adult Social Care, particularly with regards to the creation of a National Care Service. Women have continued to voice to the SWC about their experiences within the social care sector, as workers, users and relatives.
We found from the wealth of evidence gathered from women last year through our Social Care work and conferences, the impact on the sector has been profound. Women have borne the brunt of this. They are the majority of frontline workers and have shown tireless dedication in a job that far too often is under-valued.
Our social care system needs a radical overhaul so that it works for all of us. Policymakers must account for these issues and ensure women’s voices are involved in the process. It is vital to ensuring we have a system that works for everyone and puts human rights at the heart of social care.”
The SWC has undertaken a series of work regarding Social Care and the impact on women in Scotland.
Over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Scottish Women’s Convention gathered first-hand evidence and information regarding women’s experiences of the Social Care sector. Digital roundtables, online surveys, email submissions and phone interviews were conducted in order to gather a range of information.
Access our Initial Findings Report here.
We held our first online Conferences on this focus area, with two dates across September and October 2020. These events brought attendees and speakers together to discuss some of the most pressing issues. We wanted to cover everything from experiences before and during the COVID-19 pandemic to what we need to do in future to make social care work for everyone in Scotland.
We have published our full Conference Report, and supported this with two documents. The Voices of Women contains a number of quotes and lived experiences gathered from across the country. Our Further Information document covers definitions of key terms used, and gives plenty of further reading in this area.
Thank you to all who have taken part in this work.
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