Unpaid carers in Australia, comprising family members, friends, or community members, provide essential care to individuals within existing relationships. This form of caregiving extends to 3.0 million Australians (ABS, 2022) who support those with disabilities, mental health, medical and age-related conditions. Their role is integral to sustaining the viability of the care and support economy.

In October 2023, the Honourable Amanda Rishworth MP, Minister for Social Services, announced the inception of a National Carer Strategy with an investment of $3.8 million through to 2025-26, marking a pivotal step towards establishing a unified framework to champion Australia’s dedicated carers.

The Department of Social Services (the Department) engaged Deloitte to facilitate meaningful and representative community consultation across Australia to inform and co-develop the National Carer Strategy, with those it is designed to reach.

The Department invite the carer community across Australia to engage with them, sharing their valuable knowledge and insights. Input from the community is important in helping the Department gain a deeper understanding of the needs and challenges faced by the carer community.

The Department are hoping to capture a diverse range of perspectives and insights into the unpaid caring experience with participation open to current and former carers. There are a range of different ways that people can get involved including face-to-face options and online.

Find out more about this consultation and have your say by visiting https://engage.dss.gov.au/national-carer-strategy/

If you have questions about the National Carer Strategy, please contact the Department of Social Services at NationalCarerStrategy@dss.gov.au.