Regional Carer Networks must be a pre-election commitment to help stressed carers. GCA put the case to Shadow Minister for Disabilities and Carers Senator Mitch Fifield and Member for Gippsland Darren Chester at a Carers Place meeting recently.
Establishing Regional Carer Networks is not only sound Fiscal Policy, but critical to engaging WOMEN’s Votes in the upcoming Federal Elections - 2.6 million family carers deserve nothing less.
We have long proposed that unpaid carers have a right to expect their government/s to provide meaningful, on- the- ground grass roots support to caring families where they live. We are fed up with the jargon and the platitudes reaching us from high places that answer our pleas for Regional Carer Networks to be funded, by directing us to Respite Service Providers and filling us with swill about how valuable we are!
Disability and Aged Care service providers are clearly handsomely funded to enable them to pay a levy to peak provider bodies and which enables them to attend policy and planning sessions with full pay. disabilities have for decades received funding for regional disability support and advocacy services and funded peak bodies that they are able to attend ‘with full pay’
Carers have no such ‘funded government support’ in spite of the fact that they and they alone provide some 90% of all cared accommodation across this nation.
To read our full Regional carers Network Proposal, send us a message with your email details and we will provide a PDF Copy
Regional Carer Support Networksare the missing link in support services for families providing unpaid care to people with disabilities, handicap or frailty in the family home. We propose that governments must fund 44 regional networks nationwide to ensure that there is a 'grass roots' support service that can be accessed by caring families, close to where they live.
We affirm that the principals of equity and justice demand that governments fund these networks. Such funding is consistent with funding allocated to disability services, aged care services, disability self advocacy organisations and to their peak bodies. It is plainly wrong that unpaid Carers and their families have no such local and regional support.
Since caring families provide over 93% of all accommodation and personal care to people with a dependent disability, we believe we have a right to expect funding. Our contributions to the welfare of people with disabilities and frailty is a huge saving to governments and taxpayers of around $40.9billion every year. We think regional Carer Networks will cost a mere $7.20 per carer per year for great services across Australia.
You can help by asking your friends and local members of parliament to support this funding as a matter of urgent priority. To read or download our detailed proposal.Click Here
To Read our Letter to Election Candidates attending our Carers Forum Go Here
