#CarersCount – Carer Support allocations are not working

The Carer Support days allocation does not meet the needs of most of the families I work with. This system needs to be audited.

I have asked for information about the allocation of carer support days by the Ministry of Health in relation to the amount of days actually used but this information has never been able to be provided. I believe that the difference between the two figures would be very high.

The dollar value of the carer support does not meet the dollar cost of respite and is just one of many barriers to accessing respite..

Carer Support needs to be considered as part of a care plan at the onset. If there was more accessibility to good carer support provision both carers and their loved ones would be supported in a sustainable care plan avoiding “carer crisis”.

Anneke Driessen-de Vries, Community Social Worker