Supporting Young Carers in NSW:
The NSW government interagency action plan
Wendy Sharman
Outline
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Who are young carers
Why we should support young carers and their families
Who our partners are in supporting young carers
What young carers have said they need
The NSW young carers interagency action plan
What we have achieved so far
What our ongoing plans are to improve support for young
carers
A case study of young carer support
Who are young carers?
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Children and young people under 25 who provide or intend to
provide unpaid care, assistance or support to another family
member.
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They carry out, often on a regular basis, significant or
substantial caring tasks and assume a level of responsibility
that would usually be associated with an adult.
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The person receiving care is often a parent but can be a sibling,
grandparent or other relative who has a disability, a chronic
illness, mental health or substance misuse problem or other
condition connected with a need for care, support or
supervision.
Why we should support young carers and their
families
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Substantial evidence base of negative long term consequences,
including:
– a ‘lost’ childhood
– lower educational achievement
– reduced employment opportunities
– increased stress levels
– bullying (especially around mental health or substance
misuse issues)
 90,200 young carers in NSW (ABS survey of Disability, Ageing
and Carers 2003)
 NSW Carers (Recognition) Act 2010
 UN Convention on the Rights of the Child
Who our partners are in supporting young carers
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Interagency Young Carers Steering Committee
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– Key Human Services agencies including:
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Ageing, Disability and Home Care (ADHC)
Community Services
Housing NSW
Carers NSW
NSW Department of Health
Commission for Children and Young People
Department of Education and Training
Australian Government Department of Families, Housing,
Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA)
What young carers have said they need
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Recognition and support from school, e.g. with homework
Someone to talk to – especially peer support
Frontline professionals to ask ‘who is supporting this
person with a disability or illness?’
Professionals to act on the information
Support to consider the needs of the whole family
In some cases – acknowledgement of their role
Time to be a child or young person
Support with transitions
Support to move on from caring
The NSW young carers interagency action plan
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Key objectives are:
1. Confirm who young carers are
2. Provide resources and training for frontline staff
3. Identify the priority needs of young carers
4. Develop strategies to address these needs
5. Develop strategies to raise community awareness of the
needs of young carers
What we have achieved so far
1. Confirm who young carers are
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Forthcoming SPRC Report into the demographic profile of young carers
Steering Committee members are also working on identifying hidden
carers through their agencies intake and assessment processes
2. Provide resources and training for frontline staff
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Development of a resource for frontline staff and service providers:
‘Helping Service Providers to Identify Young Carers’
Extensively piloted in two Area Health Services, and ADHC Home Care
branches and information, referral and intake services
Assessment questions also piloted to identify young carers
Now being rolled out across the State, with suite of supporting resources
Will be targeting all public sector agencies who work with young people,
including GP’s, schools, hospitals, housing officers etc.
What we have achieved so far continued…
3. Identify the priority needs of young carers
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SPRC report will confirm demographics
Continuing feedback from Carers NSW and other service providers
4. Develop strategies to address these needs
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Continued support for Carers NSW and other services supporting
siblings and young carers
Steering Committee members looking at best practice examples in
their agencies
Building on a suite of young carer resources and identification tools
developed independently across the State (e.g. Educare)
5. Develop strategies to raise community awareness of the
needs of young carers
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The next phase of our young carers strategy
Minsterial Carers Advisory Council will be supporting this work
What our ongoing plans are to improve support
for young carers
1. Confirming who young carers are
– Continuing engagement of and awareness raising with staff in our partner
agencies
2. State-wide roll-out of the young carer identification resource
– Train-the-trainer sessions planned to start in September 2011
– Suite of complementary resources being developed, including, e-learning, web
based resource, leaflets and posters
3. Identify the priority needs of young carers
– Further develop the Carers NSW Young Carer Program in partnership with
young carers
– Continue working closely with Carers NSW, alongside interagency partners
such as the Department for Education and Training
– Utilising the SPRC resource once finalised to help identify service gaps
What our ongoing plans are to improve support
for young carers
4. Strategies to address these needs
– Build on analysis and address gaps in services for young carers and
their families
– Starting to look in more detail at making sure services for young
carers and their families are culturally aware and relevant
5. Develop strategies to raise community awareness of the
needs of young carers
– Ministerial priority for the Carers Advisory Council
– Carers (Recognition) Act 2010 – two principles in its Charter for
young carers
– Continue to use the Interagency Young Carers Steering Committee to
drive forward support for young carers
A case study of young carer support
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The Entrance Public School - Oakland Ave, The Entrance, NSW 2261
– The Principal is active in supporting young carers
– All staff attended a presentation by local Carer Support Officer
(CSO)
– CSO gave clear information on what to do if staff think a young
person is caring
– CSO left postcards, fridge magnets and other materials for staff
and maintained close relationship with school counsellor
– A number of young carers and their families were subsequently
identified and supported with respite, homework, practical
financial support with excursions and uniforms etc.
– The program continues
– The school was awarded a Local Carer Award in 2010
Recap
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Who are young carers
Why we should support young carers and their families
Who our partners are in supporting young carers
What young carers have said they need
The NSW young carers interagency action plan
What we have achieved so far
What our ongoing plans are to improve support for young
carers
A case study of young carer support
Conclusion
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NSW Government Interagency Steering Committee
working towards enhancing support for young carers and
their families so as to maximise their opportunities to
reach their full potential
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Front-line staff have a vital role in identifying and following
up on support for young carers.
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Not supporting young carers and their families can have
major negative life-long implications for young people.
Thank you
Wendy Sharman 9277 5620
wendy.sharman@dhs.nsw.gov.au