A carer is anyone who provides unpaid care and support to family members and friends who have a mental illness. It's important to recognise the contributions that carers make to society. The annual 'replacement value' of informal care in Australia is estimated to exceed $40 billion per annum. 

Identifying as a carer may take some time. People may not relate to the term 'carer'. They may believe that a carer is a paid work role. People are also more likely to associate caring with their duty as a family member or friend. It is usually when people are caring for someone with complex needs and have frequent interactions with service providers that they become conscious of themselves as a 'carer', with certain rights and responsibilities.

There are an estimated 43,000 family carers in the ACT who support loved ones who may have a disability, mental illness, chronic condition, terminal illness or who are frail aged. Carers are diverse and include young carers, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander carers, ageing carers and carers from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. Carers are most likely to care for their spouse or partner (45%), a parent (23%), or a child (22%). There are nearly 2.7 million carers in Australia. Click here for more fast facts on disability, mental health and carers.

Most carers are not aware of how they can be involved when the person they care for is accessing services in the community mental health system. Policy and research evidence suggests that involving the carer helps the recovery of the family member or friend with mental illness.  

You should be confident about the importance of your caring role which is recognised and supported by government, including through the Carer Recognition Act 2010 and National Standards for Mental Health Services. Many community services have carer policies, which set out how the organisation engages with families and carers. 

The ACT Carers' Charter sets out principles to guide community services and government agencies in policy developments as well as in their interactions with carers.  These are:

1. Carers are engaged in matters that affect them as carers.

2. Carers are valued and treated with respect and dignity.

3. Carers are supported to sustain their caring role.

4. Carers' diverse needs are acknowledged and appropriate supports provided.

5. Carers share a quality of life that is in accordance with community standards.^_[1]

To access more information for carers and other resources, click here.

Supports for Carers
To support them in their caring roles, several services in the ACT provide education and training to equip carers with coping skills and resilience, and practical tools for identifying and responding to mental illness. Carers ACT is the leading provider of carer services in the ACT.  It is also the peak body for mental health carers.  Carers are encouraged to call 1800 242 636 between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday, to discuss supports available for carers.  Services include carer advocacy, counselling, support groups and flexible respite options, such as house cleaning, child care, shopping and so on.  Visit www.carersact.org.au for further information.

A range of other community services provide supports for carers in Canberra.  To access the list of carer services, click here. 

Carers also need to remember to look after themselves. Local, national and international research studies have found that carers and their families are more likely to experience mental health problems, including depression, and a general lack of wellbeing. These symptoms may be directly related to the caring role. While many carers describe their roles as rewarding, caring does come at personal cost. Click here for some self-care strategies.