By Ruth Smith, head of content, Community CareThe government's decision to pull the plug on a leading carers' support scheme is of deep concern.
The Caring with Confidence programme is training thousands of carers.
For most it is the only support they get for a thankless task, a task that by the government's own admission saves the state £87bn a year.
It is only a few weeks since care services minister Paul Burstow,
writing in Community Care, pledged to work to get carers a better deal.
Now he believes that the £4.4m per year spent on the Caring with Confidence programme can be spent "more smartly". In its place he says he plans to offer more support to carers' organisations and for carers' training.
But this makes no sense as this is exactly what Caring with Confidence does.
The decision smells of hypocrisy following government claims that they will protect the most vulnerable in our society from public sector funding cuts.
The decision also makes a mockery of the government's support for "big society". Caring with Confidence cash was empowering charities and local communities to support Cameron's "unsung heroes".
If this is how the government plans to cut the fiscal deficit, the future looks bleak indeed.
Now he believes that the £4.4m per year spent on the Caring with Confidence programme can be spent "more smartly". In its place he says he plans to offer more support to carers' organisations and for carers' training.
But this makes no sense as this is exactly what Caring with Confidence does.
The decision smells of hypocrisy following government claims that they will protect the most vulnerable in our society from public sector funding cuts.
The decision also makes a mockery of the government's support for "big society". Caring with Confidence cash was empowering charities and local communities to support Cameron's "unsung heroes".
If this is how the government plans to cut the fiscal deficit, the future looks bleak indeed.
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