What Drives Me to Write About Carers’ Rights
20 November 2025 | Leanne Leverton, Senior Lecturer Lincoln Bishop University, Queen’s Nurse
“What’s driving you to write about carers’ rights?”
It was one of the most powerful questions I’ve ever been asked, by someone who truly understood the weight of being a carer. That question didn’t just make me pause. It made me reflect on the decisions I’d had to make, choices, that in truth, weren’t choices at all, but necessities shaped by circumstance. An honest conversation made me feel seen and validated my experiences as a carer.
A turning point in my personal journey came with the introduction of the 2024 Carer’s Leave Act, which granted employees balancing work and unpaid care the legal right to take up to five days of unpaid leave each year. As a carer, this not only brings a sense of being seen but indicates that I am valued.
Before this was an option, my caring journey was very different. The stark reality was navigating the daily challenge of working a full-time job while trying to fit in being a carer. Spending energy I didn’t have trying to figure out how to leave the person I cared for, so I could continue working full-time. This was one of the most emotionally draining parts of my carer journey.
It wasn’t just about logistics; it was about guilt, fear, and the constant pressure to choose between financial stability and the wellbeing of someone I loved. These weren’t choices in the true sense, they were necessities, shaped by a system that often overlooked the realities carers faced.
The introduction of the Carer’s Leave Act in 2024 was a turning point, but the emotional toll of those previous years still lingers. At my lowest point, I had no choice but to leave the cared for at home with a cooler bag of pre-made food, flask of coffee and a urine bottle by their side. As a carer you learn very quickly to be resourceful, and solution-focused. Reflecting back on this time is very poignant as I can now see how unacceptable this was for either of us, and no carer should have to be in this situation.
Faced with the limited choices around keeping the cared for safe, reducing the need for them to move, with the stark reality that I could not stay at home and support their care needs, as I had to go to work. The fine balancing act of being a nurse, caring and keeping others safe while I knew the cared for was in a sense abandoned, not safe or cared for, was a waking nightmare. Thankfully with the 5 days that can now be taken as a carer, I now have a choice.
As a health and social care lecturer, I’m privileged to have a platform where I can spark meaningful discussions with my students about the vital role carers play in society. In reality, carers have been the invisible backbone of society, quietly holding everything together while navigating systems that frequently overlook them.
Writing about carers’ rights isn’t just a passion. It’s a necessity. Writing helps me make sense of my own journey as a carer, and gives voice to others walking similar paths, while honouring the unique differences in each of our experiences. Carers’ Rights Day has made me realise that behind every campaign, blog post, and conversation about carers lies a deeply personal story including my own.
My hope is that as you read this blog you will “begin to understand others when we can imagine ourselves in their world” (Muncey, 2010). This Carers Rights Day, I urge you to listen, ask those best questions and hear the stories of carers. Our voices carry the weight of love, sacrifice, and resilience. By acknowledging our experiences and supporting our rights, you can help us shape a more compassionate and inclusive society. Working together to create solutions that don’t just ease the burden, but honour the role carers play in holding families, communities, and systems together.
About Leanne Leverton
Leanne Leverton teaches the BSc and MA Health and Social Care degrees at Lincoln Bishop. Leanne’s background within practice was Health Visiting Practice with a specialist qualification in Community Public Health Nursing and Practice Education. She is also a registered paediatric nurse. In 2016 Leanne was awarded the Queen’s Nurse title.
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