About Eurocarers

The role of carers is more crucial than ever due to demographic changes and challenges to formal health and social care services throughout Europe. Due to an emphasis on community care policies frail older people are encouraged to remain at home for as long as possible. At the same time, carers are also under increasing pressure to combine caring and paid work.  In response to these trends, representatives from carers' organisations and research and development groups from eight countries met in Maastricht (The Netherlands) in November 2004 to establish an EU-wide organisation - Eurocarers - to represent and provide a voice for carers. 

 
Aim / Mission Eurocarers

Eurocarers, European Association Working for Carers, seeks to represent and act on behalf of all informal carers, irrespective of their age or the particular health need of the person they are caring for. It shall pursue philanthropic, educational and scientific ends with regard to the representation of carers.  Among its principal aims are:

  • Contributing to policy development at national as well as European level supported by evidence-based research:
    • by acting as a voice for informal carers and issues relevant to carers
    • by 'translating' relevant EU policy developments to members operating at national and regional level.
  • The exchange, gathering and dissemination of experience, expertise and good practice, as well as innovations

Purpose

  • To promote recognition of carers and carers' interests, irrespective of their age or the particular health needs of the person they are caring for.
  • To promote the social inclusion of carers
  • To promote the development of services that can support carers

 
Eurocarers brings together organisations representing carers and those involved research and development and aims to:

  • Stimulate and support the development of carers' organisations in countries and regions where these do not exist;
  • Support carers and their organisations through the collection, exchange and dissemination of information, experience, expertise and good practice;
  • Contribute to policy development at regional, national and EU levels, supported wherever possible by evidence-based research;
  • Facilitate and create opportunities for co-operation on cross-national research, policy and practice, particularly the exchange of information about innovations and good practice;
  • Interpret relevant EU policy developments for member organisations working at national and regional levels and involving these organisations in EU policy developments;

Collaborate with other interest and advocacy groups at national and EU levels - including organisations representing disabled people, women's organisations, organisations campaigning against social exclusion and poverty - in order to promote recognition of carers and carers' interests and shape a policy environment that is more favourable to carers.

 

Eurocarers' Statutes

 http://www.eurocarers.org/EurocarersStatutes509.doc