Being a Carer in Australia | National Carers Week

Many people in caring roles don’t consider themselves a carer. Instead, they might consider themselves a parent, partner, son or daughter, or even a friend. The truth is, anyone at any age can be considered a carer. There are roughly 3 million people in Australia that occupy a carer role for somebody in their life (Disability, Ageing and Carers, Australia: Summary of Findings, 2022 | Australian Bureau of Statistics (abs.gov.au)).

The definition of a carer in Australia can be found in the Carer Recognition Act 2010, which states, 'a carer is a person who provides personal care, support and assistance to another individual in need of support due to disability, medical condition, including terminal or chronic illness, mental illness or is frail and aged'.

A carer may undertake tasks such as helping someone to eat, bathe, get dressed, communicate, undertake therapeutic support, provide transport, tend to toileting needs, and so on. It has been reported that 30% of carers spend 40 hours or more per week caring, with studies showing carers may experience high to very high levels of psychological distress and other health and well-being challenges.

Kirsty is a mother to four children, with her youngest daughter having complex medical needs.  Kirsty says, “being her carer is exhausting, you don’t get any time for yourself, but making time is important, even if it’s something simple like a bath or a cup of tea before everyone is up, it's taking time to meet your own needs so you can keep going for everyone else.”

Kirsty turned her lived experience of being a parent and carer into a career. She is currently facilitating MyTime groups across 4 sites in Queensland. Kirsty is so passionate about the work she does, she wants to ensure that every parent and carer feels supported on their unique parenting journey. “I have suffered from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) from my daughter’s medical trauma, so accessing support for me was important to ensure that I could survive.”

Like Kirsty, Natalie is also part of the MyTime team at Play Matters. Natalie is a mum of two children. Her youngest son is neurodivergent with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) level 3, and is non-verbal with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).  Natalie recounts her son was diagnosed at 2 1/2 years old and was recommended to attend AEIOU Foundation, where Natalie first heard about MyTime. Natalie says, “it was a lifesaver, everything I  needed to know about disability and being a parent and carer was at my fingertips”.

Natalie found that MyTime offered her a relaxed environment where she could just be herself and share a laugh with other parents. “As a MyTime participant and now a Facilitator, I have witnessed the community it brings to parents and carers who feel alone in this journey. MyTime allows parents and carers to connect and support each other, not just the group members, but their families as well”.

While caring responsibilities come with unique challenges, both Natalie and Kirsty highlight the great deal of joy that comes with it. Natalie says she is able to find the humour in things, and Kirsty feels she is a humbler person. Both women believe this wouldn’t have been possible to achieve without support.

Kirsty says, “you never stop needing the support, the village that was created from my support network has made me so fortunate, these people are not just friends, they have seen you at your worst and they show up when you need them most.”

Natalie credits the information she received at MyTime as being valuable in her role as a parent and carer. It is also a core component of MyTime groups, to ensure information on topics relevant to carers are covered during sessions.

Kirsty’s top tips, that may help people who are caring for someone they love, either in the short term and long term, are:

• Look after you first - “Just like when you are on a plane, fasten your mask first before you help others. You can’t help anyone without first looking after yourself”.

• Make time to do something that is just for you.

• Accept help when offered and don’t be afraid to ask for help.

• Be kind to yourself.

• Identify and create your support network.

Play Matters wishes to extend a heartfelt thanks to the millions of carers across Australia that support people in their community to feel included and supported.

MyTime and PlayConnect+ programs are delivered through Play Matters and support families who have a child with a disability.

For more information on carer support visit:

• MyTime - Supporting parents and carers of children with disability

• PlayConnect+ (playmatters.org.au)

• Carers Queensland

• Arafmi - support for people with mental health support needs, their families and carers.

• Home | Carer Gateway