An opportunity for 2.7 million unpaid carers in Australia is given the chance to be heard through the 2020 National Carer Survey.
Carers NSW with the National Network of Carer Associations and five universities came up with a survey that seeks to understand the caring role, their lives and establish evidence-based support for the sector.
Typically, the survey is held every two years and limited only to NSW. This year’s survey marked its first national expansion.
Elena Katrakis, Carers NSW CEO said that the survey serves as valuable research about carers across the country. She said that she has a positive expectation towards the expansion.
This year’s survey covers new topics such as caring roles on people with disabilities, mental health, and aged care. Carer support services, financial situation, employment opportunities, community, and social relationships are also taken into account.
In addition, it will attempt as well to understand the caring role through their personal experience with the profession.
The results will be collated to come up with evidence that will give the government and service providers’ adequate basis for addressing open issues.
Jim Toohey, chair of Carers Queensland said that the survey will play an important role in giving light to the challenges that carers face nowadays.
He added that the continuous changes in present-day society also bring about changes in the carer’s role in general and adjustments should materialise.
In the past Carers NSW 2018 survey, issues such as personal consequences of service provision and high levels of stress in service access had been understood.
Besides, the last survey also provided information about the population of the carers in NSW, with 1,830. One-third of the population has been in the practice for 20 years and more than half of the respondents said that they are providing care for 60 hours a week.
The funding of the survey came from the NSW Department of Communities and Justice.
It is conducted anonymously and given to any carer over the age of 16.
The results of the research will be published publicly and will be made available for other research and publications.
The deadline for the 2020 National Carer Survey is set until 30 June 2020.
