Scotland’s Care Inspectorate has launched a national inquiry into adult unpaid carers’ experiences of social work and social care services to assess what needs to change for the more than one million people in Scotland who cared for others through the pandemic.

The regulator says it wants to hear directly from adult unpaid carers and has launched an online survey to give the inquiry team anonymous insights into the how social work and social care services met the challenge of supporting them and allowing them to continue in their carer roles.

The 2016 Carers Act was introduced by the Scottish government to ensure unpaid carers received the information, advice and support they need for their role as a carer, and to maintain their own health, wellbeing and quality of life.

The survey specifically asks whether people have been offered a carer’s assessment, or Adult Carer Support Plan, as well as what type and level of support carers received during the pandemic.

There are specific sections looking at day services, breaks for carers and whether levels of support agreed before the pandemic continued to be delivered.

People filling in the survey are also asked about their own mental health and wellbeing, and how well they feel they have been treated by organisations who support them.

The unpaid carers survey can be accessed through the Care Inspectorate website. It closes on Friday 3 June.

A report of the inquiry will be published in August.

Read more: Unpaid carers being “pushed to the brink”;  Column: Carers still not being cared for;  Towards an inclusive New Normal

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