Jennifer Martin has a double caring role and works as Operations Manager at Bright Sparks, where she has led their creation of a Carer Policy and Carers Passport. Bright Sparks offers play opportunities for children and young people with Additional Support Needs in Midlothian. They achieved Carer Positive accreditation in 2025.
As a small charity supporting and working with a lot of parent carers, flexible working has always been built into Bright Sparks’ culture. Jennifer is proud of their approachable management: “It’s great that so many staff feel comfortable asking to cover each other’s shifts, or leave early when their caring role demands it.”
Jennifer cares for her elderly mother and her autistic son (age 24). She also cared for her father before he died earlier this year. She has been a parent carer for her son’s whole life and supported by VOCAL for most of that time, too. Since being introduced to VOCAL by a friend, she has accessed various services including counselling, Power of Attorney advice, and peer support groups. In recent years, she’s also had professional involvement through the Employers’ Network.
Jennifer’s caring roles have informed her work on Bright Sparks’ Carer Policy. She had previously heard about Carer Passports but, without her own experience and passion for supporting other carers, she might not have recognised how impactful carer-positive workplaces can be. For example, Bright Sparks allows staff to take carers’ leave in hours, rather than full days – which is especially valuable in an organisation where most people are on part-time contracts.
Jennifer continues to support carers in other ways, such as meeting local carer support groups through our Midlothian Carer Community Fund and encouraging Bright Sparks parents and carers to register with VOCAL if they haven’t already.
She believes the next challenge to tackle is the stigma around unpaid caring. More employers should not only put the policies in place, but also promote a carer-friendly culture where people can talk about it safely.
“If carers’ leave is there as a statutory right, we should be as open about it as we are with annual leave or sick leave,” she says. “And if even a small charity like ours can support carers, then anyone can.”
