page updated 25 January, 2012
If you are a support group and wish to submit or update your details, please fill out and email or post the form back to us.
Carer Support Group Registration from
You can telephone Carers NSW on 1800 242 636 (Freecall - mobiles charged at mobile rates) for details of your local carer support group or to request a printed listing of support groups in your region.
Contact the Commonwealth Carer Respite Centre on 1800 059 059 for details of any additional carer support groups they may support. They will also help you organise respite care and transport if required so you can attend a support group.
You can also contact the disability association that supports the person you care
for, i.e. Stroke Recovery Association, Autism Association, Mental Health Association etc, to find out if they organise any carer support groups.
As a carer it is important to look after your own needs, and joining a carer support groups is one way of doing that. The benefits of being in a group include:
Most probably many of your friends, family and the health professionals you encounter don’t really understand what it’s like being a carer. By talking to other carers, you will find that you’re not the only one feeling the way you do and this can be quite a relief.
Carers often experience emotions such as sadness, depression, guilt, exhaustion, frustration, anger, irritability and so on. Sometimes carers feel they should not express such emotions because they are not ‘acceptable’ and that they should be ‘coping better’. Almost every carer feels these emotions at some time, which are a perfectly normal reaction to the situation you’re in. Carer support groups offer you the opportunity to talk about these emotions.
Often carers lose touch with friends and family because of changed circumstances and increased demands on their time. This can lead to isolation and feelings of loneliness and perhaps depression. Getting out to a support group can expand your social network and help improve your overall sense of wellbeing.
Support group coordinators keep members up-to-date with developments in policies, entitlements and special carers’ events. They may also arrange guest speakers on topics of interest.
Yes, there are both general and specific carer support groups. Some are specifically for parents of children with a disability for example, or for carers who are caring for someone with a condition such as dementia or mental illness. Many are open groups for carers with all different caring circumstances, and there are also groups for Aboriginal carers and carers from non-English speaking backgrounds.
Most groups meet once a month for a couple of hours, usually at the same location. However some groups vary the days, times and, in rural areas, the location.
No. The groups are free, although some ask for a small contribution for refreshments.
Ask the group’s coordinator or contact the Commonwealth Carer Respite Centre on 1800 059 059 for help with organising respite care and transport.
Carer support groups respect confidentiality, and discussions of personal situations must not be disclosed to others outside the group.
Carers NSW has brought together the wisdom of carers to produce a guide to setting up and running carer support groups. It covers a wide range of topics including how to get in touch with carers, how to manage the development of the group and other more practical matters like insurance. Read the guide.
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page updated 25 January, 2012
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