ANGLICARE welcomes NSW Carers Recognition Bill
ANGLICARE Sydney has today welcomed the introduction into the state parliament of the Carers Recognition Bill.
CEO Peter Kell says the bill will contribute to a greater understanding of the vital role of carers in our communities and of the unique challenges they face.
“Too many of our carers experience social exclusion within their communities by virtue of their responsibilities. They are often unaware or unable to take advantage of the options and support services available for them. And until they come to an organisation like ANGLICARE Sydney, most of them are doing it alone – hidden from the community and with little or no support.
“It is through our carers that the most vulnerable members of society are looked after. It is their commitment that contributes to a society where the least powerful members are valued and their needs considered. Yet, all of this comes at enormous personal cost.
“That is why the Carers Recognition Bill is so important – It provides a framework for understanding and acknowledging the role of carers through the bill’s proposed Carers Charter, while ensuring that government agencies take action to reflect the charter’s principles when providing services to carers.
“How we treat our most vulnerable and powerless - those with disabilities, the ill and the frail, and those that care for them - speaks volumes about the society we live in.
“I would hope that this bill receives the bi-partisan support it requires to be passed and allow NSW to catch up to other states and territories that have already enacted similar legislation."
However, Mr Kell says the legislation will only be as good as the practical support it seeks to encourage and that it will be vital that government agencies charged with providing support services to carers make the principles embodied in the Carers Charter a reality.
“In submissions to both the State and Federal Governments in 2008, ANGLICARE Sydney argued strongly for a case management approach to provide the specialised and tailored support services required by carers.
“This would go a long way to taking into account the complex and unique circumstances carers find themselves in. It is this sort of support that should ideally flow out of the bill being put forward today.”
