Following its launch in June 2019 the CARE badge, a unifying symbol of pride in those providing, receiving and supporting care, is now being worn by more than 100,000 people across the UK.
More than a quarter of the UK population is either providing or receiving care outside of a hospital environment every day.
We know the amazing work carers do, often behind the scenes, in all weathers and with no regard for public holidays. The CARE badge was launched to raise the public profile of social care and recognise the 9 million care workers and carers helping others across the UK today.
As part of the initiative, UK business leaders are encouraged to buy the £1 CARE badges and distribute them for free to their employees and customers.
Minister for Care, Helen Whately said: ‘Everybody knows how proud we are of the staff who make the NHS what it is and we should take the same pride in our care workers.
‘The CARE badge is one small way we can pay tribute to the hundreds of thousands of care heroes across the country who support our families and friends every day.’
Wearing the CARE badge is a unifying symbol of pride and quality in care and while the badge is personal to every individual wearer, common benefits include:
• showing your involvement with and/or support of care in its many forms
• building a team spirit within a widely distributed care community
• a personal commitment to quality in care
• an invitation to start conversations about care
• to encourage recruitment and retention
• to reinforce the size and importance of this often-overlooked community.
The board of the CARE badge Community Interest Company said: ‘It is high time to raise the profile of social care and the esteem in which it and its participants are held.
‘The CARE badge initiative has really taken off and we are very grateful to all those who have given it their support.’
The CARE Badge CIC is a community interest company formed jointly by everyLIFE Technologies and Care England and latterly the National Care Forum with the sole purpose of providing the CARE badge to companies, charities and other organisations.
All profits from the sale of CARE badges are distributed to care-related causes and charities, suggested online by care workers and carers and overseen by a CARE badge committee.
The CARE Badge CIC is administered and managed for free by everyLIFE Technologies. Costs incurred are limited to the cost of badges, badge packaging and postage.
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Photo Credit – Care Badge