According to Carers UK research, 1 in 7 people in the workplace in the UK are juggling work and care, with the numbers increasing and many people finding themselves in the so called "sandwich generation". Often, the caring responsibilities may fall disproportionately on the female, with Census in England and Wales reporting that 59% of unpaid carers are female. Last year, LawCare published the outcomes of its carers audit of the legal profession in a report "Mind the Caring Gap". The report was a collaborative effort between LawCare, RPC and the Next 100 years and was led by Dana Denis-Smith OBE. The mental and physical toll of being carer is significant: over three-quarters (77%) of those surveyed reported an impact on their mental health and 70% said their physical health was affected by their caring role.

Working in the legal sector can be tough - how can IP professionals juggle the ever-increasing demands in and outside the workplace without suffering burnout? How can workplaces adapt to help their workforce and provide a supportive environment for the challenges faced by carers?

This free webinar from a collaboration among IP Inclusive, Women in IP and IP Ability will look at the mental health implications of having caring responsibilities and highlight the unique challenges faced by carers in the legal profession. Niamh Warnock (Engagement and Relationship Manager, LawCare) will provide an overview of the LawCare report, and Karen Genuardi (Head of People and Talent at Lee and Thompson) will provide an HR perspective on how best to support professionals that have caring responsibilities. This will be followed by a Q&A discussion to allow people to share their own experiences and to feed back on the report. It is aimed at anyone who is (or may become in future) a carer or cared for, with any type of caring responsibility, such as supporting a child, an elderly person or a disabled or neurodivergent person.

The discussions will be moderated by Chris Clarke.

Who's it for?

This event is open to all UK-based IP professionals. It doesn’t matter what type of organisation you work in, what role you play in it or what your career level; everyone is welcome at IP Ability events – including of course disabled people, carers and their allies.

Bring a guest!

At IP Inclusive we want to reach as many IP people as possible. Why not invite a guest to have coffee and attend with you – someone in a different role or at a different career level, perhaps; an ally or potential ally; or a colleague who's not yet involved with IP Inclusive? They'll be most welcome!

Cost

This event is free. So are all our resources. That said, we do need money to keep the show on the road, so if you enjoyed the event please consider choosing a voluntary donation ticket or clicking Donate now! For more information visit our fundraising page.

If you have any specific access requirements, please let us know when you register or by emailing events@ipinclusive.org.uk; we’ll do what we can to help.

Registrations are closed

Juggling caring and working in the IP profession