Carers Week takes place from 6 to 12 June, and as well as raising awareness of caring, it highlights the challenges carers face and recognises the contribution they make to families and communities.

The theme for Carers Week 2022 is 'Make caring visible, valued and supported'.

Director of Health and Social Care, Soumen Sengupta, said: “Our experiences of the last two years has highlighted the critical contribution that carers provide, and the need to ensure that their wellbeing is supported as well.

“We are committed to working with our partners at Lanarkshire Carers to ensure that carers across all communities of South Lanarkshire can access a range of services and support.

“An important example of this is Self-Directed Support - which offers service users and their carers choice and control - and we are working with partners to ensure that more and more people feel informed and confident to take up the option that works best for them.

“On a personal note, Carers Week also provides a timely opportunity for me to express my appreciation to carers throughout South Lanarkshire for the valued contribution that they make.”

Chair of South Lanarkshire Council’s Social Work Resources Committee, Councillor Margaret Walker, said: “Carers Week allows us to focus the attention on to the many people who do so much for families and our local communities.

“Of course, this work takes place all year round, but having a week like this gives time to pause, reflect on and celebrate how valued their efforts are.”

Lanarkshire Carers is a resource for carers across Lanarkshire to access information, advice and a range of direct support services to support them in their caring roles.

They are commissioned by South Lanarkshire Health and Social Care Partnership and Health and Social Care North Lanarkshire to provide Adult Carer Support Services to carers living in Lanarkshire.

A range of the activities they have planned for Carers Week can be found on their website.