The concept of a carer is relevantly new one which was built upon the relationship between a husband or wife of someone with dementia, the society accepts the emotional divorce of the couple as the relationship changes to one of dependency. 

However, the term has spread like wildfire to mean anyone who has an unpaid relationship with someone deemed to dependent from impairment or illness. Parents of disabled children has been turned into carers and their brothers and/or sisters have been turned into young carers, just for living with them. So in effect, disabled children and disabled people have had their families stolen from them simply for the politics of the now strong carers movement.

The real problem is while people can accept families can be wrong, carers are always right and so families now potential have greater power to abuse their ‘burdens’ as society deemed them to be passive by the presence of a carer. So we must now reclaim families from the carer’s movement.

I often tell parents they have the right to be parents and understand they must let go at the right time. If we do not reclaim families  the already heavy strain on relationships will further tear between disabled children and their families apart as the potential of individuals are ignored. This is indeed one fashion statement, that of being a carer, which has potentially very damaging long term effects.

If you like what I say, have a look at my website at www.simonstevens.com or follow me on twitter, @simonstevens74