Carer Support Groups

Carer support groups enable carers to meet and connect with other carers who understand the challenges of caring for a family member or friend.

Benefits of carer support groups

Carers report many benefits from attending a carer support group. Benefits may include feeling connected, heard and understood by peers, reducing isolation and increasing wellbeing.

Peer support is a safe space to share experiences and to learn from others. It can help carers to realise they are not alone, and others are in similar caring situations.

Carer support groups provide spaces for carers to express themselves with confidence that they will be understood and accepted by other carers, with similar lived experience.

Carers within groups often exchange tips and advice on how to deal with varying situations including sharing knowledge of local services.

Carer support groups can be a valuable source of information to people new to the caring role as well as to individuals who have been caring for an extended period of time.

Joining a peer support group

Carer  Gateway can help carers to meet similar people who also care for a family member or friend. By sharing stories, knowledge and experience, carers can learn from and support each other.

Carer  Gateway offers two options to connect with other carers:

• In-person peer support groups  – meet with others in your local area who also care for a family member or friend. 
• Online community forum  – join the online written discussions to engage with other people who also care for a family member or friend.

How Carers NSW can help

Carers NSW provides free training and support to carers and services providers who currently facilitate a carer support group, or are looking to set up a carer support group in their local area.

Carers NSW provides free education for facilitators of carer support groups across NSW.