Government inquiry into better support for carers

The Family, Community, Housing and Youth Committee has launched its report on the inquiry into better support for carers entitled Who Cares ...?

The Committee received more than 1300 submissions which told of carers and their families under serious financial stress, struggling to meet the everyday costs of living, including food, housing and transport.

The Committee has responded with 50 recommendations to provide much needed assistance to carers. They have given consideration to diverse options for reform to address deficiencies in the current systems of support for carers. In some areas, such as respite care and in-home assistance, the Committee has recommended an increase in expenditure so that supply of services more closely matches demand.

Consideration has also been given to options for the more efficient use of existing resources. To this end, some recommendations have called for a reduction in the red tape associated with accessing some forms of carer support, and for greater cooperation across jurisdictional and portfolio divides to encourage the development of more coherent and coordinated systems.

The Committee has also considered the case for significant fundamental reform. Of particular note, is the recommendation for an examination of income support for carers to determine whether the system of carer payments can be restructured to better reflect the level of care provided. In addition, the Committee has also recommended consideration of increasing access to individualised or self-managed funding packages to provide carers with greater choice and flexibility to purchase the services they need.

Importantly, the Committee understands that with adequate levels of appropriate support in place, most carers wish to continue to provide care for as long as they feel able to do so. It is therefore in the best interests of all concerned – carers, care receivers, governments and society – to share the responsibility of providing care more evenly. If realised, this will allow carers and their families to participate more fully in society through engagement with education, employment and social activities.

Visit the House of Representatives website to view the full report.

Source: communityNet