Crossroads Care, also known as Crossroads, is a registered charity in England and Wales which provides support for carers.
The organisation was first established in 1974. It took its name from the TV soap opera Crossroads, in which the problems of families caring for disabled people at home were highlighted by an accident to one of the characters. The programme makers, Central Television, made a donation of £10,000 for a pilot scheme to be set up in Rugby, Warwickshire. Crossroads subsequently expanded to become a national organisation with over 250 local schemes throughout England and Wales, with a sister organisation in Scotland, Crossroads Caring Scotland.
The charity describes itself as follows:
"Crossroads Care is Britain's leading provider of support for carers and the people they care for. We work with over 35,000 individuals and their families, helping carers to make a life of their own outside caring. We provide the special quality of care that gives them the peace of mind to let someone else step into their shoes... We are a national network of local charities employing over 5,000 trained professionals. We provide flexible services to people of all ages and with a range of disabilities and health conditions."[1]