Carers provide regular support and assistance to those who need it because of disability, chronic illness, mental illness, drug and alcohol dependency, frail age or dementia. When caring for a child, this is when the care needed by them is more than what a child of their age would usually need, for a long period of time.

A carer is not paid a wage or salary, although they may receive a pension or allowance for their caring role.

People of all ages can be a carer, including:

• an older person caring for a child with a disability who has grown up
• a child or young person caring for a parent with a disability
• a parent caring for a child with a disability
• a relative or friend caring for an older person. 

Carers can be employed, at school and/or have a range of other commitments at the time they take on the role of caring.

Looking after yourself

Being a carer can be immensely rewarding, but it can also be emotionally and physically demanding.

The better your physical and emotional wellbeing, the better you will be able to cope with the demands of caring.

Read more about looking after yourself.

Taking a break

Everybody needs some time off to recharge the mind and body, including carers.

Breaks are also important for the person you care for. It gives them an opportunity to socialise, meet other people and learn new skills.

Read more about taking a break.

You are not alone

Being able to talk with someone who knows what its like to care for someone with a disability or an older person often helps.

A network of support groups across NSW offer parents, families, friends, peers and carers the chance to connect with other people in similar circumstances.

Read more about support networks for carers.

Coping with challenging behaviour

Challenging behaviour, such as aggression or withdrawn behaviour, can interfere with the daily life of a person with a disability, or their carer.

There are a number of ways families and carers can help the person with a disability manage challenging behaviour.

Read more about coping with challenging behaviour.

Carers entitlements

As valued members of the community, carers may be entitled to payments and services which support them to continue in their caring role. Centrelink has developed the Caring for Someone? booklet which is a guide to the payments and services they offer.

Legal recognition of carers

The NSW Carers (Recognition) Act 2010 (the Act) was introduced to provide recognition of carers and to establish a Carers Advisory Council. The Act requires that:

• Government departments and local councils make sure all staff are aware of and understand the Carers Charter.
• Staff in human service agencies reflect the principles of the Charter in their core business activities.
• Government departments and local councils consult with appropriate organisations or bodies that represent carers when developing policies that will impact on carers.
• Government departments and local councils develop human resources policies following consideration of the Carers Charter.

Ageing, Disability and Home Care is responsible for leading the implementation of the Act across all public sector agencies. The NSW Carers (Recognition) Act 2010 Implementation Plan 2011 – 2014 (PDF) provides a clear understanding of the obligations of public sector and human service agencies under this Act.

NSW Carers Charter

The NSW Carers Charter contains 13 principles that provide guidance on issues of significance for carers, including respect and recognition, inclusion in decision making, and access to services they may need. Human service agencies in the NSW public sector are required to reflect the principles of the Carers Charter and, therefore, must consider how to incorporate the support and recognition of carers who are clients into their core business. This will assist in promoting the social inclusion of carers in NSW.

The Charter can be found at Schedule 1 of the Act.

Carers Advisory Council

The Act establishes a NSW Carers Advisory Council to promote the interests of carers. The Council also reviews and makes recommendations to the Minister for Disability Services and Minister for Ageing on relevant issues. The Council is Chaired by the Minister for Ageing and Minister for Disability Services and the majority of its members are carers.

What the Act means to carers

Carers working in the public sector will benefit from human resources policies that have either been developed following consideration of the Carers Charter or already reflect the Charter's principles. In this way, human resource policies will meet the needs of carers. You might want to become familiar with flexible work policies to help you in your caring role, including leave entitlements and flex time. Once you know the options, talk to your manager about working together to implement appropriate support to help you combine caring and work.

Obligations of public sector agencies

The Act defines public sector agencies and requires them to:

• take reasonable steps to ensure that staff are aware of and understand the NSW Carers Charter.
• consult with organisations that represent carers when developing policies that impact on carers.
• develop and/or implement human resource policies following consideration of the Carers Charter.

The Act places additional obligations on human service agencies. Human service agencies are public sector agencies that provide services directed at carers or the people they care for. In addition to being aware of and understanding the Carers Charter principles, human service agencies must ensure that staff reflect the principles in their daily work. Human service agencies are also required to prepare a report on their compliance with the Act for inclusion in the agency's annual report.