Unlock Care Homes: Aims

Unlock Care Homes is a group of ordinary family carers exhausted and frustrated by the lack of progress on the lifting of visiting restrictions in care homes. We are determined to challenge the inaction of this Government and will not stop fighting until we are reunited with our loved ones.

Isolation kills

For the past year, we have been blocked by care providers from having contact with our loved ones. We are essential to their wellbeing, vital to their will to live. This isolation from family carers is destroying lives. It is inhuman, immoral, and must be challenged.

"Our Hands are Tied!"                                

We have hit a brick wall in fighting for our loved ones’ human rights. We have appealed to the care providers, to Helen Whately - Minister for Social Care,  to MPs, councillors, the Quality Care Commission, the Ombudsman. None are listening.

The root of the problem

Without legislation to enshrine visiting rights in law, care providers will continue to interpret Government visiting guidance as they see fit. Too many view families as  dangerous 'footfall', a risk of bringing covid-19 into their homes. With testing, full PPE and now a mass vaccine rollout, that risk is minimal.

Excellent Examples to Follow

Some excellent care home managers have shown how safe family access can be facilitated.
They have learnt and adapted to Covid-19 to ensure family carers can support their families in care. Helen Whately needs to meet these care professionals and encourage others to follow their lead.

Next steps

Unlock Care Homes has been formed to campaign for Government action. Platitudes are not good enough. People are dying from loneliness and emotional neglect. We demand that the government award families essential carer status and make it the legal right of family carers to visit their loved ones in care homes. They need us. And we need you. Please help us to get back in by supporting our campaign.

We want the govt to make it a legal right of family carers to see their loved ones in care homes.

Take Our survey

Please take a few minutes to complete our first survey on care home visiting experience.
This will help us to get a better picture of which care homes and care home providers are allowing or denying visits, as well as information on the duration and frequency of visits.
The information you provide will remain anonymous.
We may contact you via messenger or email to speak to you further about your answers. 

OUR DEMAND

Make Family Visiting Mandatory for Care Homes

Family access to loved ones in care homes must be made mandatory by @BorisJohnson.  As it stands, care homes can interpret Government guidance as they see fit. In practice, this means the most vulnerable in our society are dying prematurely of loneliness and isolation. Family members are essential to the well-being of their loved ones and must get access

NOW!

Family Carers

Relatives are more than visitors or 'footfall'.
Family play a key role in the health and well-being of loved ones in care.

Mental Health

Denying human contact to family members in care 'for their own good' has a devastating impact on family carers and loved ones. Seeing the dreadful deterioration of parents or children with special needs has a profoundly detrimental effect on mental health