Transcript Insert presentation title here

The Future of Carer
Support
Karen Wilson
Branch Manager
Disability and Carers Policy
24 October 2014
Acknowledgement of Country
I acknowledge the traditional owners on whose land we
meet today. I pay my respects to their elders both past and
present.
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Overview
• New Department of Social Services structure
• Cross sector view on carer issues
• What stakeholders have told us
• Ideas for a more integrated carer support model
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Broad Department focus
• One area to take a connected DSS approach on carer issues
• Opportunity to consider carer needs regardless of who they are
caring for
• Regular conversations across DSS areas to ensure consistency
and knowledge sharing
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How many carers are there?
(SDAC 2012)
Males
Estimates ('000)
Females
350
300
250
200
150
100
50
0
under 25
25-34
35-44
45-54
55-64
65-74
75 and over
Age Group (years)
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Supply of informal carers not
increasing at the same rate as demand
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DSS services and supports for carers
In 2013-14:
• 10 DSS programmes assisted and supported carers in their caring role
• Total funding for these programmes was over $500 million
• Over 300,000 carers received assistance through the 10 programmes
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What stakeholders have told us
Research undertaken in 2013 highlighted:
• Carers experience difficulty navigating the service system and the
fragmentation of support
• They would like to “make it easier for carers to identify the service
and the point of access”
• There is a need for a more streamlined and coordinated systems
approach to carers support
• There is a lack of alignment across key frameworks regarding
how carers are identified, assessed and supported, and
• There is limited communications and coordination between
different levels of government and between agencies
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Aged Care reform – what it means for
carers
•
Valuing carers
• Commonwealth Home Support Programme to support carers of older
people (aged 65 years and over, or 50 years and over for Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander peoples)
• Carers of older people use My Aged Care as the pathway to carer
support
• Provide quality care for the care recipient
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NDIS - what it means for carers
• Trial sites are in VIC, NSW, SA, TAS, ACT and NT
• One of the core aims of the NDIS is to better support families
and carers in their caring role
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NDIS - what it means for carers
(continued)
• The Agency will consider the assistance provided by carers when
working with participants to develop individual plans and support
packages
• Local Agency offices will discuss any questions carers may have
about the Scheme
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Mental health services and
programmes – what it means for carers
• The National Mental Health Commission review of mental health
services and programmes
• Mental Health Respite: Carer Support program delivering flexible
support for carers
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Welfare reform
•
The Interim Report of the Reference Group on Welfare Reform was
released on 29 June 2014
•
The Report proposes a new system based around four pillars of
reform:
– A simpler and sustainable income support system
– Strengthening individual and family capability
– Engaging with employers
– Building community capacity
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An Integrated Carer Support Model
• Should there be an identifiable point of access for all carers?
• What could an integrated carer support model look like?
• Should there be one carer assessment process?
• How do we encourage and maintain innovative approaches to
carer support?
• How do we effectively support carers to engage in, or remain in,
education, training or paid work where appropriate?
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Next steps
• The Department will consult with stakeholders over the next six
months to co-design an integrated carer support model
• The future of Commonwealth Respite and Carelink Centres
(CRCCs) will also be considered when developing a model
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For more information
Email questions/comments to:
[email protected] or [email protected]
The Department’s website is:
www.dss.gov.au
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Thank you
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