Financial and Non-Financial Support to Formal and Informal Out of Home Carers 

Social Policy Research Centre

Bettina Cass, Deborah Brennan, kylie valentine and Marilyn McHugh

Authors

Marilyn McHugh and kylie valentine

The research reported in this paper was completed under the Social Policy Research Services Deed of Agreement (2005-09) with the Social Policy Research Centre, University of New South Wales. The opinions, comments and/or analysis expressed in this document are those of the author or authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs and cannot be taken in any way as expressions of Government policy.

Contact for follow up

kylie valentine, Social Policy Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney NSW 2052, Ph: (02) 9385 7825, k.valentine@unsw.edu.au

Table of contents

• Glossary and Abbreviations
• Abbreviations
• Executive Summary
  • Introduction and background
  • Financial support to carers
  • Non-financial support to carers
  • Barriers to undertaking a carer role
  • Carers experience of accessing support and services
  • Service gaps and inequities
  • Examples of good practice
  • Conclusion - key findings
• 1 Introduction and Background
  • 1.1 Formal carers
  • 1.2 Informal carers
  • 1.3 Out-of-home care in Australia
  • 1.4 Background to the project
  • 1.5 Data sources: policy inventory
  • 1.6 Data sources: literature review
  • 1.7 Limitations and caveats
• 2 Policy Inventory: Financial Support
  • 2.1 Caveats
  • 2.2 General (age-based) allowances
  • 2.3 Children and young people with additional needs
  • 2.4 Extraordinary expenses
  • 2.5 Informal carers
  • 2.6 Financial support to carers when children have left care
  • 2.7 Australian Government payments
  • 2.8 State and Commonwealth allowances: two scenarios
  • 2.9 Summary tables: payment rates in each of the states and territories
  • 2.10 Differences within jurisdictions: formal and informal carers
• 3 Policy Inventory: Non-Financial Supports and Services
  • 3.1 Case management, training, advocacy and respite
  • 3.2 Other services for formal and informal carers
  • 3.3 Australian Government support
• 4 Barriers to Undertaking a Caring Role
  • 4.1 Introduction
  • 4.2 Barriers for formal and informal carers
  • 4.3 Barriers to fostering for Indigenous people
  • 4.4 Summary
• 5 Carers' Experiences of Accessing Supports and Services
  • 5.1 Financial support for statutory carers
  • 5.2 Financial support for informal carers
  • 5.3 Non-financial support for statutory carers
  • 5.4 Non-financial support for non-statutory carers
  • 5.5 Supports and services for children
  • 5.6 Summary
• 6 Service Gaps and Inequities
• 7 Examples of Good Practice in Supporting Carers
  • 7.1 Recruitment
  • 7.2 Assessment
  • 7.3 Training
  • 7.4 Support – non-financial
  • 7.5 Carer support groups
  • 7.6 Children's services
  • 7.7 Summary
• 8 Conclusion: Key Findings
• References
• List of table