Carers Week 2026
Carers Week 2026, taking place from 8th to the 14th June, shines a spotlight on the carers who support family members, friends, and neighbours every day. Across Ireland, the week recognises the vital role carers play in society and encourages communities to better understand the challenges they face. The theme of this year is 'Thank you for Caring'.
Throughout the week, charities, community groups, and healthcare organisations will host events, workshops, and online sessions designed to celebrate carers and connect them with support services. In Ireland, the campaign also carries the message “Thank You for Caring,” recognising the compassion and dedication shown by family carers every day. Carers Week serves as both a celebration and a reminder that carers need practical support, recognition, and opportunities to look after their own health and wellbeing while caring for others.
Changing face of Care
Care, in all its forms, is the quiet foundation upon which societies are built. It is the work that sustains families, communities, and the social and economic fabric. In Ireland, the meaning and delivery of care have evolved dramatically over the past century, shaped by shifting demographics, economic transformation, migration, and changing social expectations. From the traditional image of multi-generational households and community networks to today’s complex system of professionalised services and digital supports, care has undergone a profound transformation that mirrors the broader story of Ireland’s social change.
How we understand and deliver care in Ireland today and into the future raises significant questions: what is it exactly? who needs it? who deserves it? who provides it and how should they be supported? For much of the twentieth century, care in Ireland was largely unpaid, unseen, and gendered. Women, particularly mothers and daughters, were the primary caregivers for children, older relatives, and those living with illness or disability. The State’s role was limited. As Ireland urbanised and entered a new economic era, this model began to strain under the pressures of mobility, employment, and changing family structures.
We must re-imagine care as a central tenet of public policy, acknowledging the multifaceted nature of care, encompassing not only healthcare but also support for systems, families, communities, and individuals across their lifespan. By adopting an inclusive approach to care, we can address the diverse needs of individuals and communities while promoting principles of equity, solidarity, and sustainability. We need to move away from a “world in which carelessness reigns” and return to a “care-centric narrative”.
On Wednesday, 12th November 2025, Social Justice Ireland held our Annual Social Policy Conference on the theme 'Care in a Changing World'. Our 2025 Social Policy Conference brought together voices from across the care landscape — carers, advocates, policymakers and organisations — to explore how care, rights and inclusion must evolve in a changing world.
Watch the CONFERENCE HERE.