Where to go for help
Many organisations and people in the community ‘care about carers'. Some support services serve all carers. Others target specific groups like young carers or grandparents.
Please read the section for all carers, as well as any other section that applies to your situation.
- All carers
- Parents
- Older carers
- Young carers
- Siblings
- Grandparent carers
- Carers from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds (CALD)
All carers
Arafmi Queensland — mental health carers supports those who care for, or about, someone with a mental illness. It offers 24-hour telephone support, counselling, family respite, support group meetings and workshops for carers. Phone 32541881.
Carer information packs include practical information for carers. Packs include fact sheets on topics such as ‘taking a break', ‘managing money' and ‘loss and grief'; forms for recording medication requirements; and emergency care plans. Multilingual versions of the fact sheets are available. To order a pack, visit the Australian Government's Department of Health and Ageing website or phone 1800 200 422.
Carers Queensland, the peak body for carers in Queensland, advocates for carers' right and provides support services including:
- the Carers Advisory Service, which provides specialist information and referral advice
- counselling through the National Carer Counselling program, where carers can access face-to-face counselling free of charge
- the Young Carers Program, carer support groups in your area and carer education and training services.
For more information phone 1800 242 636.
Community Care may be able to help if you are the carer of a person under 65 years. For further information, you can call a Community Access Point on 1800 600 300.
The Commonwealth Aged Care Information Line provides information about disability, aged care and other support services for people over 65 and their carers. You can call the Aged Care Information Line on 1800 200 422.
Relationships Australia helps build stronger relationships among individuals, families and communities. Relationships Australia Queensland lists the services available, which include counselling and support, specialised services and short courses.
If are feeling down or overwhelmed you can contact:
- BeyondBlue phone 1300 22 4636
- Kids Helpline phone 1800 55 1800 (free call)
- your doctor
- family and friends
- Lifeline phone 13 11 14 (for 24 hour a day counselling)
- Salvo Care Line phone 1300 36 36 22 (for 24 hour a day counselling)
Parents
As well as supports for all carers, there are parent-carers specific programs:
Livewire Parents is an online community enabling parents and carers of people living with a disability, serious illness or chronic health condition to connect and support one another via the internet.
MyTime playgroups are available across Queensland to help carers socialise and share ideas with others who understand about caring for a child with disability. Visit the MyTime website or phone 1800 889 997.
Queensland Parents of People with a Disability bring parents and families together to support each other and their children and to work together to challenge injustices and discrimination. Phone 1800 805 184 or visit the website.
The Australian Government's Raising Children Network is a great resource for parents and carers of children with disability.
Older carers
According to Carers Australia, the two most common family situations involving older carers are:
- older carers caring for a son or daughter with disabilities, including psychiatric disabilities
- older carers caring for a spouse or partner with dementia, chronic condition, terminal illness or disabilities resulting from ageing.
Older carers of adult sons and daughters have usually been caring for a long time and often continue their caring role as they themselves age. As this occurs, it is natural—and necessary—for older carers to need some regular respite and support and to start thinking about what will happen when they can no longer continue their caring role.
Respite and support for older carers
Planning for the future and independent living options for the person in your care.
Respite and support for older carers
If you are an older person who needs help to continue in your caring role, there may be assistance available for the person in your care, or support available specifically for you. Options include in-home support, centre-based respite and community-based support. In some locations, emergency respite and other flexible respite options may be available.
If the person you care for is under 65, you may be eligible for support through the Community Care program. If they are over 65, call the Commonwealth Aged Care Information Line: 1800 200 422 for information and referral.
Many organisations provide dedicated support services for older carers. You can identify a local organisation from the list of service providers below, then phone and ask to speak with the project officer who works with older carers:
Planning for the future and independent living options for the person in your care
It is important for older carers and their family member to take active steps to plan for the future.
To help you think about the future, you may wish to read our pages on planning for the future, which include 'where to start' as well as information about legal and financial matters.
There are a range of independent living options that can be put in place for your family member for when you are no longer able to perform your caring role. To find out what is available, please contact the project officer at your local organisation that provides respite and support for older carers. It is the project officer's role to work very closely with older carers and families to help them consider all options available and to identify their preferred long-term care arrangement. The project officer will discuss with you the options available, which may include:
- receiving in-home support to live with other family members; to live with other people who do not receive funded support; to live alone
- a share support arrangement.
The project officer will work very closely with you to plan ahead so arrangements are in place when you need them.
Your first step is to identify a local organisation from the list of service providers that provide respite and support for older carers. You then need to phone the organisation and speak with the project officer who works with older carers.
The project officer will also explain the eligibility requirements for this support.
Other resources for older carers
The online Carers' Booklet, produced by the Australian Government Department of Veterans' Affairs, is a good resource for older carers.
Grandparent carers
The Grandparents Information website—and its information telephone line 1300 135 500—puts grandparents who are responsible for raising their grandchildren in touch with services, support groups and the MyTime for Grandparents program.
Young carers
Young carers are children and young people aged up to 25 who care for a relative or friend. Many young carers assume an adult level of responsibility and their caring role can interfere with their education and training, employment and social development. It is estimated there are 79,800 young carers in Queensland.
Disability Online has interviewed young carers in Queensland, and they share their stories as part of a special feature that includes advice from a young carer counsellor at Carers Queensland, as well as information about the making of a booklet, Role Reversal: when your child becomes your carer, about what happens when your child becomes your carer.
Along with the information provided for all carers on this web page, there are supports specific to young carers:
- Carers Queensland delivers a Young Carers program where young carers aged 10 to 25 can seek counselling and support. Phone 1800 242 636 (weekdays 9am to 5pm).
- The Young Carers website is a place where young carers can participate in a member forum and talk to other young carers. The site is produced and funded by the Australian Government Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA) with the assistance of Carers Australia.
- The Young Carers Respite and Information Services Program helps young carers who need support to complete their secondary education or vocational equivalent due to the demands of their caring role. The program includes respite services, such as time off to study for exams, and information services. Further information about this service is available from the Commonwealth Respite and Carelink Centre on 1800 052 222 or after hours on 1800 059 059.
- The Department of Education and Training (DET) has policies and programs in place to help young carers remain enrolled and engaged at school. For example, your school may be able to alter your education program so you remain enrolled but do not attend the same hours as your peers. DET provides information on the Young Carer Counselling Service and the Young Carer Information and Advice Service to schools via the senior guidance officers and guidance officers' network, and youth support coordinators (YSC) via the YSC hubs. Be sure to speak with your guidance officer to find out what help is available.
For information about support available to help you attend school, college or university, please speak with a guidance officer or counsellor at your school or tertiary institution. It is important you complete your schooling or studies.
Siblings
Siblings Australia Inc provides support for brothers and sisters of people with special needs; including disability, chronic illness and mental health issues. The organisation provides print and web-based resources, workshops (such as SibworkS) and networking opportunities. Siblings Australia also participates in research projects and advocacy by preparing briefing papers and contributing to national inquiries (see 'news' on the website). Visit the Siblings Australia website or phone 08 8357 1216.
The Australian Government's Raising Children Network has some great information on helping siblings of children with disabilities to cope and sibling feelings.
Some disability or community organisations may run, or know of, sibling support groups or online forums for brothers and sisters of children with a disability. You can also find a particular service provider or organisation by phoning your nearest Commonwealth Respite and Carelink Centre on 1800 052 222 or searching an online database.
The Association for Children with a Disability is another good place for information about sibling support.
Livewire Siblings is a free, safe and supportive online community for young people aged over 10 and under 21 who have a brother or sister living with a serious illness, chronic health condition or disability. It's a place where you can meet other siblings, share experiences with people who understand your situation, and gain the skills and knowledge to help you feel more in control of your situation.
Carers from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds (CALD)
Carers Queensland offers a CALD program which helps eligible people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and their families to receive culturally-appropriate home and community care (HACC) services. Multicultural service coordinators ensure the right services match client needs. Phone 1800 242 636.
