Minister for Ageing and Disability Services, the Hon. John  Ajaka MLC, launched the NSW Carers Strategy at Parliament House in Sydney on 7 August 2014.

The NSW Carers Strategy is an important document for the 857,000 carers in NSW. Carers are the family members and friends who provide ongoing care and support to people who need it because of disability, chronic illness, mental illness, dementia or frail age.

The Strategy is a five year plan to improve the position of carers in NSW. It will achieve this by helping carers to participate in activities outside their caring role, including education and employment, and to have input into the development of policies that affect them. It was developed collaboratively and will be implemented collaboratively with carers, government, non-government, private and academic sectors.

The Strategy sets out at a glance the vision for carers and the planned reforms and outcomes for each of the five focus areas: employment and education; carer health and wellbeing; information and community awareness; carer engagement; and the evidence base about carers.  It identifies the 16 projects that are the first to progress the work.

The NSW Carers Strategy is available at www.carers.nsw.gov.au. You can also download the consultation report and background information about developing the Strategy.

For more information contact Carers, Ageing and Disability Inclusion on 9248 0870 or email carerstrategy@facs.nsw.gov.au.