Mental Health Respite: Carer Support
About Mental Health Respite: Carer Support
Mental Health Respite: Carer Support is an Australian Government Initiative, funded by the Department of Social Services, to assist carers of people with mental illness to sustain their caring roles and maintain connection with their communities, by increasing access to flexible, innovative carer support services.
The Carers NSW Mental Health Respite: Carer Support service provides carers of people with a mental illness with:
- one on one support
- access to counselling
- education for carers
- opportunities to take a break from caring
- access to respite
Mental Health Respite: Carer Support can help carers to deal with some of the challenges of their caring role and be better supported in their caring role now and into the future.
Eligibility for the program
Mental Health Respite: Carer Support is for anyone who supports a family member or friend with a mental illness, such as depression, schizophrenia or anxiety, or an undiagnosed mental illness.
Carers might be supporting a son or daughter, partner, parent, sibling, or someone else close to them. Anyone can be a carer, including children and young people.
Carers NSW Mental Health Respite: Carer Support program is for people living in the following local government areas:
- Randwick
- Botany Bay
- Newcastle
- Maitland
- Cessnock and Cessnock region
- Port Stephens
- Branxton: Greta, Pokolbin
- Glendale: Cardiff, Hillsborough
- Kurri Kurri: Abermain
For more information or to join the program, please call us on the Carer Line on 1800 242 636. Carers who do not live in the areas listed above can also call the Carer Line on 1800 242 636 to find out more about similar supports across NSW and Australia.
Why carers need support
Research shows how important carers and families are in supporting people living with mental illness, and assisting them in their recovery journeys.
Caring can be rewarding, but it can also be challenging. It can be difficult to cope and to stay connected to friends, family and the community. Families and carers of people with mental illness face unique challenges. They often need support to help their loved one on their recovery journey.
Carers might need help to:
- come to terms with the mental illness
- understand the mental illness and how it can be managed
- understand and access treatment and support
- know how to support recovery
- deal with the impacts of mental illness
- take a break from their caring role
- understand and access the NDIS
Education for carers of people living with mental illness
Carers NSW provides education and activities for carers of people with mental illness in the Hunter and Botany Bay/Randwick areas through Mental Health Respite: Carer Support.
The Mental Health Respite: Carer Support program provides an interesting and varied program of events in the Botany Bay and Randwick area. Please sign up to our mailing list in order to receive updates about upcoming outings, workshops and guest speakers. Details for some of our regular, monthly events are listed below:
Mental Health Respite: Carer’s Support Group
Where: Randwick, full venue details available on registration
When: Second and fourth Wednesday of the month from 1.00pm - 3.00pm
This is a small group with a varied program of guest speakers and activities. Carers are welcome to come to some or all of the topics. Please sign up to receive the program outline by calling the Mental Health Respite: Carer Support team on 1800 242 636 or emailing mhrcs@carersnsw.org.au
For information about upcoming activities and support in the Hunter region, email mhrcs@carersnsw.org.au or call our Newcastle office on 02 9289 4280.
Carers NSW Mental Health Respite: Carer Support Evaluation 2015
From February to June 2015 Carers NSW undertook an evaluation project of the Mental Health Respite: Carer Support (MHR: CS) Program. The evaluation examined the achievements, impact, relevance, sustainability and efficiency of the program in delivering respite and support services to carers of people living with mental illness.
The evaluation focused on a sample of carers who had participated in or were currently involved in the program, and with service providers who have worked with Carers NSW over the previous eighteen months.