Progress in recognising, supporting and improving services for unpaid carers in Moray has been highlighted in a report considered by Moray Integration Joint Board yesterday (25 June).
The annual update on delivery of the Moray Unpaid Carers Strategy 2023-2028 outlined work undertaken during 2025-26 to strengthen support for the estimated 16,200 children, young people and adults in Moray who provide unpaid care for a partner, family member, friend or neighbour.
Unpaid carers play a vital role in communities across Moray, often balancing caring responsibilities alongside work, education and family life. The strategy aims to ensure carers are recognised, valued and supported, while helping them maintain their own health and wellbeing.
The report highlighted a range of developments taken forward in the past year, including increased engagement with carers, improvements to support services and work to strengthen identification of carers across health, social care and education settings.
Feedback gathered from adult carers, young carers and partner organisations through engagement work has been used to strengthen the strategy’s implementation plan and help shape future support services. This includes the commissioning of a revised carers support service, designed to better reflect the information, advice and support unpaid carers say would make the biggest difference to them. A new three-year contract for the service is due to be awarded later this summer,
Support for young carers has continued to grow. Ten schools across Moray have worked alongside the Young Carers Strategy Officer to identify Young Carer Champions and deliver targeted training for staff and pupils. The initiative has helped increase awareness of young carers, improved identification and created more supportive learning environments.
Unpaid carers are benefiting from improvements to Adult Carer Support Plans and Young Carer Statements. Redesigned pathways and assessment tools are helping ensure carers receive more personalised, strengths-based support that focuses on their wellbeing, individual circumstances and the outcomes that matter most to them.
The report also highlighted ongoing work by Quarriers Carer Support Service to expand their outreach and awareness activities for unpaid carers through a range of community events and engagement opportunities across Moray.
During Carers Week earlier this month, Quarriers and Moray HSCP’s Unpaid Carers Team hosted the first in a series of joint engagement events, providing carers with an opportunity to share their experiences, identify priorities and help shape future developments. Feedback gathered through these sessions will help inform ongoing improvements to local support and services.
Dennis Robertson, Chair of Moray Integration Joint Board, said: “Unpaid carers make an enormous contribution to families, communities and our health and social care system, often without recognition and while managing significant responsibilities of their own.
“It is important that carers feel valued, listened to and supported throughout their caring journey. The work highlighted in this extremely positive report shows that unpaid carers are being listened to. We are hearing what they are telling us about their experiences and acting on that feedback to improve support and services.
“I welcome the progress being made through the Moray Unpaid Carers Strategy and the continued commitment of partners to improving outcomes for carers of all ages. By working alongside carers and responding to what matters most to them, we can continue to develop services and support that make a meaningful difference to their lives.”
The Board noted the progress made and agreed that regular reporting will continue to help monitor delivery of the strategy and ensure carers’ voices remain at the heart of future developments.
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