Katherine Wilson
Co-Investigator
Katherine is Head of Employers for Carers at Carers UK. Employers for Carers is a growing service and forum for employers committed to developing good practice to support the 1 in 9 people at work who are caring for ill, frail or disabled family members or friends. Managed and supported by the specialist knowledge of Carers UK, the forum provides practical help and advice for employers and promotes the business benefits of supporting carers.
Katherine’s expertise is in the field of employment and equality policy. On joining Carers UK in 2007 she worked on the development of Employers for Carers (EfC) and was its initial manager when it launched as an employer membership forum in 2009. Katherine was co-Secretariat to the EfC/Carers UK/HM Government Carers in Employment Task and Finish Group (2012-2013) which published a definitive report on the business benefits of supporting working carers. Prior to Carers UK, Katherine worked at the Trades Union Congress, Leeds University Business School, in the events and communications sector and as an independent equality consultant.
Carers UK is a key partner in the Sustainable Care programme, responsible for delivering its Impact Strategy and contributing its expertise to its research areas, especially on carers and work and on new technologies. Carers UK is a not-for-profit organisation with over 50 years’ experience of working to improve the lives of unpaid carers, through campaigning and lobbying at local, national and international level and providing information, advocacy and consultancy services.
Carers UK has a long standing relationship with Professor Sue Yeandle and other academic partners in the programme, primarily aimed at ensuring that valuable research translates into policy and practice change. That will now be its key role in Sustainable Care.
Carers UK has a strong track record of achieving change and the Sustainable Care programme is an opportunity to build on that impact, as the UK Government debates the future of health and social care and launches its new Action Plan for Carers.