Crossroads Caring Scotland is a national charity

Charitable organization

A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...

 which exists to support carers in Scotland

Scotland

Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...

, through the provision of respite care

Respite care

Respite care is the provision of short-term, temporary relief to those who are caring for family members who might otherwise require permanent placement in a facility outside the home....

 and other forms of practical support. The organisation was established in 1978 and began providing services during the following year.

Care staff provide relief for the carer by taking over caring responsibilities for short periods, allowing the carer to have a break from their caring role. There are 47 Crossroads services throughout Scotland, supported by the national office based in George Square

George Square

George Square is the principal civic square in the city of Glasgow, Scotland. It is named after King George III.-Historical development:George Square was laid out in 1781, part of the innovative Georgian central grid plan that initially spanned from Stockwell Street east to Buchanan Street—which...

, Glasgow

Glasgow

Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...

.

History

Crossroads owes its existence to the tea-time soap opera of the same name. A story line involving one of the programme's main characters, Sandy Richardson, saw the son of the hotel boss become paraplegic as a result of a road accident. During their research, producers consulted with local people with disabilities and found that there was little or no support for their carers - many of whom seldom received any form of break from their role. The programme makers provided a grant to establish the first ever service, in Rugby in 1974, from which a large network of similar projects grew to provide cover for much of England and Wales.

The idea of a Scottish sister organisation was first mooted in 1978 and was taken forward by Jimmy Whittle, a retired accountant and one time professional footballer with Hearts.

Crossroads Caring Scotland has no formal ties with Crossroads England and Wales.

National Context

The national organisation exists to promote, develop and enhance the services provided by a network of local services covering all but 5 Scottish local authorities. The organisation works alongside the Scottish Government and other national caring organisations. It has been involved in a series of government sponsored committees, has contributed to guidance to local authorities on carer services and was involved in the Carers Legislation Working Group which led to carers becoming identified in Scottish law as 'Key Partners in Care'.

Carers are viewed by the government as an important resource and in recent years have been given increasing recognition in health and social care policy. Since devolution in 1999 legislation and policy for caregivers has been developed by the former Scottish Executive (now Scottish Government).

Carers in Scotland are regarded as ‘partners’ in the provision of care. As a result, support services provided to carers are regarded as part of the overall package of care to the person being looked after. This means that carers are not seen as service users and are therefore not responsible for the cost of any service provided. The exception to this is when a carer is looking after their partner; in that situation their income may be taken into account during a financial assessment.

This situation is different from that which exists in England where carers are viewed as services users in their own right and as such are liable for the cost of services provided. Yet, in many cases, it is not the carer who actually needs the service; it is the person being cared for who needs it because of their illness or disability.