Held virtually on 9 June, the event brought together professionals from across the legal and insurance sectors to explore the realities of working while caring for loved ones.
The session was chaired by James Webster, Head of Specialty Claims at Hiscox, and featured a panel of speakers who offered both professional insights and personal reflections including:
- Will More, Account Manager at Carers UK – Carers UK is the leading national charity for unpaid carers who support, advocate for, champion and connect carers across the UK. Will opened the discussion by highlighting the scale of unpaid care in the UK and the support available to carers as well as the laws and rights in place to protected working carers.
- Tamsin McCarthy, Global Diversity & Inclusion Manager at DWF – Tamsin shared details of practical strategies for building carer-inclusive workplaces. She emphasised the importance of flexible working, visible support networks, and open dialogue.
- Kellie Gattrell, Head of Service and Support at Hiscox – Kellie offered a candid account of her own experiences of caring for family members with terminal illness and those with disabilities as well as caring for the elderly. This included sudden and unexpected caring responsibilities.
- Kirsty Rogers, Chief Sustainability Officer at DWF – Kirsty shared her experience of navigating caring for those with complex needs and the tenacity often required to advocate for others.
The webinar was designed to be interactive, with attendees encouraged to submit questions in advance and during the live Q&A, creating an opportunity for shared learning and practical takeaways.
Questions posed to the panel covered maintaining resilience as a carer, accessing support from specialist organisations, young carers, navigating changes in relationship dynamics, and managing caring responsibilities with workplace performance.
A recording of the session was made available for those unable to attend live, ensuring the conversation could continue beyond the event itself.
This collaboration with Hiscox builds on previous joint efforts to share best practice and highlights the power of cross-sector partnerships in driving meaningful change.
This event reflects both Hiscox and DWF’s ongoing commitment to inclusion and wellbeing, particularly for those balancing professional and personal care responsibilities.
Global D&I Manager, Tamsin McCarthy said 'DWF are delighted to collaborate with Hiscox on such an important workplace topic. I would like to say a huge thank you to Kellie and Kirsty for sharing their experiences. Hearing real life accounts from professional role models about their challenges, their resilience and their successes is so inspiring. Visibility and open conversations are so important in creating carer friendly workplaces where carers can be open about their needs and seek the support that enables them to florish inside and outside of the workplace."