Recognising Carers
Help us recognise and better support carers in our community.
Whether you provide care, receive care, or support carers in your work, your perspective matters. Together, we can build a more connected and supportive community.
You might be providing care, even if you don’t call yourself a carer. Many people regularly help a family member, friend, or neighbour by:
- Getting to appointments or managing medications
- Helping with household tasks or daily routines
- Providing emotional support or checking in
- Organising transport, shopping, or important arrangements
If someone depends on you in these ways, you’re already playing a caring role.
People who provide care often experience higher distress, loneliness, and poorer overall health than others. Whether you support someone personally or care for patients professionally, recognising carers early can make a real difference to their wellbeing.
We want to understand your experience, whether you provide care, or support people who do.
Each survey takes approximately 3 minutes to share your insights. The survey closes 26 March.
For Community Members
Are you supporting someone?
Your experience can help shape better services and support, whether or not you identify as a carer.
By completing a short survey, you can help:
- Ensure your needs and challenges are understood
- Improve access to support and resources
- Strengthen services for people who provide care
For Clinicians and Health Professionals
Do you see carers in your practice?
Around 1 in 7 patients is an unpaid carer, and most carers regularly visit a primary health provider.
By completing a short survey, you can help:
- Shape practical supports for clinical settings
- Improve recognition and referral pathways
- Strengthen care for patients and their support networks
Why This Matters
People who provide care play a vital role in our community and health system, but many remain unrecognised and unsupported.
Unpaid carers often experience:
- Higher levels of distress and loneliness
- Lower overall health and wellbeing
- Limited access to the support they need
At the same time, clinicians regularly see carers in practice, often without knowing it.
Your insight will help improve recognition, resources, and support for informing the tools and resources that enable community members and health professionals to provide better care across our region.
This project is funded by the NSW Government’s Carers Investment Grant Program 2025 – 2027.
Identifying & Supporting Carers
Carers Project
Healthy North Coast is delivering a Carers Support Project to help primary care clinicians better identify unpaid carers and connect them with the assistance they need. Our goal is to strengthen pathways between primary care, carers, and local services across the North Coast region, ensuring carers are recognised, valued, and supported.
Why carer identification matters
Many unpaid carers don’t recognise themselves as carers, which means their own needs often go unnoticed. Simple, early identification helps clinicians prevent burnout, improve wellbeing, and link carers with timely local support. Recognising carers also strengthens trust and ensures care plans are safe, sustainable, and family-centred.
Quick promptest identify carers:
- “Do you support someone who relies on you because of their health or disability?”
- “Do you help someone with things like shopping, cooking, cleaning, or driving to appointments?”
- “Lots of people help a family member or friend without calling themselves a carer. Does that feel true for you?”
Identifying and supporting carers in Primary Care
Learn how to recognise the signs of hidden carers and how simple conversations can help clinicians identify them early and connect them with local support.
Dr Sarah Mollard, Clinical Lead for HealthPathways and HNC Medical Educator, shares practical insights on identifying and supporting carers in primary care.
Life as a carer
Dr Andy Williams, a local GP and carer, shares his experience of supporting a family member and how it has shaped his daily life. His story highlights the challenges carers often navigate and the importance of being connected to the right support.
Practical case studies - Identifying carers in primary care
Access quick, practical tools designed to help primary care clinicians recognise unpaid carers and guide them to local support. These downloadable PDFs offer clear, evidence informed information that can be easily used during everyday practice.
Case Study – Andy Caring for his ageing father
This case study highlights the often unseen realities of caring for an ageing family member and the emotional, practical and lifestyle impacts carers experience.
It shows that even carers with strong health knowledge and support can face ongoing strain, and their own wellbeing may go unnoticed by health professionals, reinforcing the importance of recognising carers early and ensuring they are connected to the right support.
Case Study – Anne caring for a neurodivergent child
This case study highlights the often unseen role of parent-carers and the emotional and practical demands of supporting a child with complex needs. It shows how carers can appear capable and informed, yet still need recognition and support from health professionals.
Anne’s experience reinforces the importance of taking a whole-family approach and creating safe opportunities for carers to share their challenges.
HealthPathways
Primary care clinicians can access detailed, locally agreed guidance on identifying and supporting carers through Mid and North Coast HealthPathways. The Carer Stress and Carer Support pathway includes assessment tools, referral options, and links to services across the region.
Access the HealthPathways Carer Stress and Support page: Carer Stress and Support – Community HealthPathways Mid and North Coast
Support group directory
Below is a directory of support groups across NSW. Please note that the support group information detailed in this directory is provided to Carers NSW by support groups and is correct to the best of Carers NSW knowledge at the time of publishing. Support group information changes regularly and as such, individuals are encouraged to contact groups directly for up-to-date information, particularly regarding group meeting times and locations. View the directory
If you are a support group and need to update the details of your support group listing, please complete the enquiry form, outlining the updated information.
Additional support resources
In addition to the pathways above, there are national and state resources for carers. These help with challenges like work, family, health, disasters, ageing, and the needs of young carers. Explore the links below for more support and information.
Carers + Employers Homepage | Carers + Employers
This resource supports workplaces and employers to create carer‑inclusive environments, helping employees balance their work and caring responsibilities more effectively. It includes tools, training, and practical frameworks that promote flexibility and workforce participation for carers.
Working While Caring Hub – Carers NSW Working while Caring Hub | Carers NSW
Carers balancing employment and caring responsibilities can find guidance, workplace rights information, wellbeing tools, and resources to help them manage both roles. The hub provides practical advice on navigating conversations with employers and accessing support services.
Young Carer Hub – Carers NSW Young Carer Hub | Carers NSW
Young carers can access tailored information, wellbeing resources, education supports, and opportunities to connect with peers who share similar experiences. The hub is designed to empower young carers and ensure they feel recognised and supported.
Aged Care Hub – Carers NSW Aged Care Hub | Carers NSW
This hub provides comprehensive information for carers supporting an older person. It includes guidance on navigating aged‑care services, preparing for assessments, understanding care options, and finding practical supports that make caring at home easier.
Disaster Preparedness Hub – Carers NSW Disaster Preparedness Hub | Carers NSW
This resource supports carers in planning for emergencies and natural disasters. It offers tools to create personalised preparedness plans, checklists, and strategies to help ensure the safety and continuity of care for the person they support during unexpected events.
