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Carer Gateway
Help carers get the counselling services and support needed, provides free counselling over the phone, provides free coaching to help carers in their role and lets Carers connect to Carers through a community forum.
Carer Gateway helps carers. If you care for a family member or friend, then Carer Gateway could help you.
Carer Gateway provides a range of services and supports delivered both in person and online.
Counselling – if you are feeling stressed, anxious, sad or frustrated, a counsellor can talk with you either in person or over the phone in the comfort of your own home.
Connect with other carers – you might like to meet with people like you who care for someone and share stories, knowledge and experience. You can do this with people in your area or you can join the carer forum online.
Respite Care – if you get sick or hurt and you cannot look after someone, emergency respite services can help you. Service providers will find ways to look after the person you care for while you have a break. Planned respite care can also help you plan for regular breaks to rest and recharge.
Self-guided coaching – you can work through interactive online coaching sessions at your own pace. You can find a range of topics to help you in your caring role.
Facilitated coaching – Carer Gateway offers you the opportunity to work one on one with a coach to identify, explore and move towards your own personal goals. Coaching is about taking time out to think about your own wellbeing and consider how you can find space in your life to balance your needs and the needs of the people you care for.
Skills courses – you can use these short online courses to help you to learn new skills in caring for someone and yourself.
Tailored Support Packages – These are designed to provide you with services and support specific to your needs to help you in your caring role. You may be able to access free services such as:
services or equipment to help with your education – for example, tutoring, educational supplies or training courses
planned respite, where a service provider steps in to arrange care of the person you care for, while you take a break
cooking and cleaning services
assistance with shopping
transport, to help get you to places such as medical practices or shopping centres etc.
You may be a carer if you are looking after someone with disability, mental illness, a medical condition (including a terminal or chronic illness) or someone who is frail because they are aged.
Carers can be any age. Carers can provide any sort of care – some carers look after another person 24 hours a day and help with daily living, while other carers look after people who are fairly independent but who sometimes need help.
Carer Gateway is for anyone who is an unpaid carer.
Speak to a local Carer Gateway service provider by calling 1800 422 737 Monday – Friday 8am – 5pm or visit CarerGateway.gov.au. You can also access emergency respite assistance 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by calling the same number.