Page 2696 - Week 07 - Thursday, 2 August 2018
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The Child, Youth and Family Services Program comprises a mix of services from group programs to case management. While all services funded under the Child, Youth and Family Services Program offer support and services that may be relevant to young carers, one organisation receives dedicated funding to offer targeted supports to young carers.
The Community Services Directorate, through the Child, Youth and Family Services Program, provides funding to Anglicare NSW South, NSW West and ACT to deliver the Young Carers and their Families Engagement and Support Service (also known as CYCLOPS).
CYCLOPS is a program supporting young people aged between 10 and 25 years, who care for a family member who experiences physical or intellectual disability, mental health issues, alcohol and other drug related issues and/or chronic illness.
The service works with the young person and their family, as well as other people identified by the young person as being important to them in their role as a carer, to identify the needs of the young person and their family and promote the health development and wellbeing of the young person.
CYCLOPS provides individual and group activities that build on the strengths of the young person and their family using a case management approach. The service works in partnership and collaboratively with other services to ensure complementary services are provided and that gaps in service provision are addressed and to prevent duplication of services.
During the period July to December 2017, CYCLOPS provided case management support to 56 young carers. In addition to case management support, CYCLOPS offers information, education and support through group activities, newsletters, and school support groups.
Of the 56 young carers engaged in case management support, 100 percent of participants indicated that they were assisted by the supports and services offered by CYCLOPS.
(4)
(a) ACT Health funds Carers ACT to deliver the Community Access Support Program, which provides education and social support, financial education, and complex family support. This program is not targeted at specific disabilities or health issues, but is applicable across the spectrum of disabilities and health issues. It is not specifically targeted to young carers, but young carers are able to access this program for education and training.
The Community Services Directorate, through the Office for Disability, provides funding to Carers ACT for advocacy services, including advocacy support to help carers deal with disability or health related issues. Carers ACT has recently announced that it is boosting mental health support for young carers by hiring its first counsellor for young carers.
(b) The ACT Government does not provide direct financial support to young carers. Financial supports for carers, including young carers, such as Carer Payment and Allowance, and the Young Carers Bursary Program, are the responsibility of the Australian Government.
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