Page 4633 - Week 14 - Thursday, 24 November 2005
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better recognise and support carers. Finally, Winnunga Nimmityjah Aboriginal Health Service received a grant of $38,522 for a program that provides culturally appropriate support, counselling, information and activities for Aboriginal carers.
Meeting the needs of carers is a shared responsibility, and a coordinated, whole-of-government approach has been undertaken to improve outcomes for carers and the people they care for. In response to carers needs for flexible workplaces, carers rooms are being established in government departments and are already provided in Chief Minister’s, Treasury and Urban Services. The 2004-2007 certified agreement template for public servants recognises carer responsibilities and assists employees in balancing their work and carer responsibilities.
Access to respite services is also important for carers if they are to continue in their role. The government is developing initiatives to address this priority. Disability ACT has undertaken a respite review to explore and develop innovative respite options. It also undertook a needs assessment of individuals accessing respite services through one of their respite services. The ACT government has provided matched funding with the Australian government to provide respite care for aging carers of people with disabilities. A range of support initiatives for carers has been funded to ensure carers are able to access the necessary peer support required.
ACT Health, through the home and community care program, funded Carers ACT to provide 14 culturally and linguistically diverse carer support groups and a dedicated Aboriginal/Islander carer support program. The Office for Children, Youth and Family Support funded CYCLOPSACT to provide internet-based information for carers aged 10 to 18 years, and their families, who are responsible for the care of a relative with an illness or disability.
The ACT Arts funding program provided capital to the YWCA to assist young carers to devise, rehearse and produce a new theatre work in 2005. The carers information and training project received $30, 000 to identify gaps in information, develop strategies for the dissemination of information and to prioritise training needs for carer groups. A significant initiative undertaken in the last year relates to principle 6, strategy 12, of the action plan. It committed government to review, in consultation with the community, the need for new or improved legislation for support carers.
Today I have tabled the government response to the report on the review of carers legislation in the ACT. Members will recall that the government released the report for public comment earlier this year. The report concluded that there was not broadly based community support, nor a demonstrated need for a stand-alone carers act for the ACT. However, the report recommended the development of a carer recognition bill to better support Canberra through amendments to some existing acts. The government supports this position and will develop a carer recognition act to amend some existing legislation to provide for better recognition of carers in the ACT laws.
The government supports or agrees in principle or in part to 29 of the 41 recommendations in the report. It notes a further six and does not agree to the remaining six recommendations. Measures that the government will act upon include amending the Human Rights Commission Act 2005 to allow children and young people who are carers to lodge a complaint if a service is not being provided appropriately and review
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