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Short breaks and respite survey: Research report launched

  • Area of Work: The ALLIANCE
  • Type: News Item
  • Published: 27th March 2025
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Shared Care Scotland has launched a research report into unpaid carers' experiences of short breaks and respite services in Scotland.

In 2024, Shared Care Scotland, the national carer organisation with short breaks and respite at its core, undertook a comprehensive survey on unpaid carers’ experiences of short breaks and respite services in Scotland. The findings of this survey launched in their research report, ‘Exploring unpaid carers’ experiences of short breaks and respite care’, on 26 March 2025.

The timing of this research is particularly significant. It comes as the government plans to introduce a legal ‘Right to a Break’ for unpaid carers. The findings build on and reinforce many conversations already underway with carers and carer support services. They provide a robust evidence-base for urgent advocacy and reform and demonstrate that the short break needs of carers cannot be met by a legislative change alone: they need access to information, support to access breaks, and an infrastructure with the variety and capacity to meet their needs.

Their aim with this research is to ensure carers’ voices are at the heart of policy making.

The full report is available on their website.

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