Mohammed T. Abou-Saleh

INFORMAL CARERS AND THEIR SUPPORT 333then adequate and appropriate support for these individuals iscrucial. The problem with this is that many interventions that aremeant to support carers are inadequate or have been poorlyevaluated. In particular, the effectiveness of group interventions isoften weak compared with individual interventions, and there hasbeen little evaluation of long-term benefits. Innovative approachesto caring for carers are needed, but at the same time barriers toimplementation, such as lack of readiness in carers to embodychange or inflexibility of the socioeconomic system, need to beremoved.REFERENCES1. Carers (Recognition and Services) Act 1995. Legal Exec 1996; 7: 42.2. Nolan M, Grant G, Caldock K, Keady J. A Framework for Assessingthe Needs of Family Carers: A Multidisciplinary Guide. Guildford:B.A.S.E. Publications, University of Surrey, in association withRapport Publications, 1994.3. Equal Opportunities Commission. 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