Background: Across Europe, 6.3 million people work in the long-term care (LTC) sector, which faces significant challenges related to staffing, workload, and sustainability. In parallel, an estimated 52 million people provide informal care to relatives or friends. The EU Care Strategy (2022) underlined that the wellbeing of both groups is interdependent and vital to ensuring high-quality care. Building on these priorities, the Horizon Europe-funded research and innovation project WELL CARE (2024–2027) seeks to identify, evaluate, and promote effective practices that enhance mental wellbeing and strengthen collaboration between formal and informal care. This presentation draws on empirical findings from the Swedish policy and practice context. Objectives: To explore how policies, care frameworks, and funding schemes address the mental wellbeing of informal carers and LTC workers. Specifically, the study explored stakeholders’ perspectives on current policy responses, examining how they envisioned future directions and the development of support structures that could strengthen the mental well-being of these groups. Methods: Eight national experts were purposefully selected and interviewed, representing academia, trade unions, patient and carer organisations, employer organisations, and professional associations. The data were analysed using thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006).Results: Preliminary findings reveal both visions and tensions in the policy landscape for supporting informal carers' and LTC workers' mental wellbeing. Participants identified a need to strengthen coherence between national and local levels. Key risks and opportunities emerged, particularly regarding the decentralised Swedish governance model. A recurring theme was the expectation that care should be State provided; unmet expectations were perceived as a source of stress for informal carers, described by several informants as the “disappointment of rising expectations.” These findings highlight how cultural, and policy contexts shape the experiences of care, providing insights for policymakers seeking to enhance mental wellbeing and person-centred care provision across Europe.