Policy papers and submissions

COVID-19 and carers

Carers NSW has been closely following the development of the COVID-19 pandemic on carers in NSW. Our key publications on this topic from 2020 are included below:

• Briefing: Working remotely can work for carers but multi-dimensional flexibility will even better meet their needs
• Briefing: Working remotely can work for carers: What employers have learned from COVID-19 and how they can champion change
• Briefing: COVID-19 and carers: A review of the evidence
• Consultation report: The COVID-19 Pandemic: Challenges and opportunities for carers in NSW
• Position statement: Coronavirus (COVID-19) and carers
• Position statement: Carer income support and COVID-19
• Article: Carers need respite from care. COVID-19’s limiting the options & pushing many to breaking point

Carers and service providers are invited to raise issues and put forward suggestions to the Carers NSW Policy Team by contacting us at policy@carersnsw.org.au or on (02) 9280 4744.

Briefings and issues papers

• A Just Reward: A Comparison of Paid and Unpaid Care (2017)
• Young carers: Barriers to accessing employment (2017)
• Carer counselling literature review (2017)
• Measuring the value of unpaid care: What approach is best? (2017)
• Give us a break! Evidence that Australian carers still need respite (2016)
• The NDIS one year in: Experiences of carers in the Hunter trial site (2014)
• Does your carer take sugar? Carers and human rights: The parallel struggles of disabled people and carers for equal treatment (2013)

For research reports and journal articles, go to the Research page.

Policy submissions

Every year the Carers NSW Policy Team prepares a comprehensive submission for the NSW Government on what we think their spending priorities should be in relation to carers in their upcoming State Budget. These submissions are based on consultation with carers, stakeholders and Carers NSW staff.

• Caring through crisis: Carers NSW Pre-Budget Submission 2021-22
• Keeping carers at the centre: Carers NSW Pre-Budget Submission 2020-21
• Getting it right for carers: Carers NSW Pre-Budget Submission 2019-20
• No carer worse off: Carers NSW Pre-Budget Submission 2018-19 
• Putting Carers First: Carers NSW Pre-Budget Submission 2017-18

Carers NSW also regularly provides submissions to NSW and Australian government inquiries and consultations, as well as policy and legislative reviews and drafts. 

• View our key published submissions by year

Conference presentations and posters

Carers NSW Policy Team works closely with our Research Team to develop and deliver presentations and posters for leading sector conferences.

• View our conference presentations and posters by year

Sector newsletter articles

• Hamilton, M. (Carers NSW input acknowledged) (2020) 'Carers need respite from care. COVID-19’s limiting the options & pushing many to breaking point', Women's Agenda, 5 May 2020.
• Zeppel, M., Hofstaetter, L., Graham, P., Loh, S.M. (2019) 'More carers’ leave may help Australians look after elderly parents and stay in work,' The Conversation, 28 November 2019.
• Judd, S. and Saich, F. (2016) 'Family carers face loss of housing while grieving a loved one', Around the House no. 107, December 2016, Shelter NSW, Sydney.