The carers' rights movement draws attention to issues of low income, social exclusion, damage to mental and physical health identified by research into unpaid caregiving.

In social policy and campaigning the movement distinguishes such people's situation from that of paid careworkers, who in most developed countries have the benefit of legal employment protection and rights at work.

Around half of all carers are effectively excluded from paid employment through the heavy demands and responsibilities of caring for a vulnerable relative or friend.

[3] In Australia, carers are defined as people, usually family members, who provide support to children or adults who have a disability, mental health problem, chronic condition, who are frail aged or have drug or alcohol dependencies.

The remoteness of many Aboriginal communities and their cultural approach to caring plays a part in low access rates to these services.

[13] It initiated a feasibility study into a national social insurance scheme to replace an inadequate network of existing support for people living with disability and their carers.

EUROFAMCARE aims to provide a European review of the situation of family carers of elderly people in relation to the existence, familiarity, availability, use and acceptability of supporting services.

In 2003 six countries (Germany, Greece, Italy, Poland, Sweden, United Kingdom) formed a trans-European group, systematically representing the different types of welfare-states in Europe and started a comparative study.

[citation needed] The last step is a feedback research action phase based both on the study results and on the pan-European expertise.

[20] There are over 300,000 (estimate) family carers in Finland Policy and legislation in relation to caregivers living in Scotland is somewhat different from that in England, Wales and Ireland.

This assumes that they are the most involved carers, providing both personal and physical care, resulting in high levels of stress and most in need of support services.

Many of these carers however, continue to provide care without support from social work or health services and because of this they remain hidden or invisible (Scottish Executive 2006, Cavaye 2006).

Carers are viewed by the government as an important resource and in recent years have been given increasing recognition in health and social care policy.

[citation needed] The other important policy introduced by this legislation which impacts upon carers is that of Free Personal and Nursing Care for Older People.

The definition is mainly based on the one used by the Royal Commission on Long Term Care (1999) except that it takes account of the needs arising from cognitive impairment and behavioural problems as well as physical frailty.

The definition is important because it is used as a basis for community care assessments and describes the range of tasks that might be undertaken by home carers employed by social work departments.

These include financial costs, exclusion and discrimination at work, social isolation and poor health through stress and physical injury.

[24] On 22 April 2009, carers took to the streets of London and Edinburgh for the first time to complain about poverty and seek improvements in welfare benefits and respite care.

Around 400 carers took part altogether, presenting a 3000 signature petition to No 10 Downing St, and lobbying MP's MSP's and government ministers.

[25][26] Since the 1950s, UK carers have become increasingly well organized in seeking recognition, improved social care services and human rights.

[citation needed] In 1965 the National Council for the Single Woman and her Dependants was formed following a letter to The Times newspaper by a carer, the Reverend Mary Webster, concerning the difficulties that confronted single women when they faced the complex task of earning the family living and caring for the home, the sick and the elderly.

She began writing to newspapers, journals, MPs and peers drawing attention to the isolation and financial hardship that women carers were suffering.

During the 1960s and 70's The National Council for the Single Woman and Her Dependants won tax concessions and pension credits for women obliged to give up work to care.

In 1981 the UK Association of Carers was formed by Judith Oliver, Sandra Leventon and others, aided by a grant of £9,879 from the Equal Opportunities Commission.

Government legislation affecting the care of children with disabilities includes: The Work and Families Act 2006, which came into force in England in October 2006, makes provision for improved maternity and adoption leave for women.