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NSW Carers (Recognition) Act

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About the Act

The NSW Carers (Recognition) Act 2010 (the Act) formally recognised the significant contribution carers make to the people they care for and the community. It enacted the NSW Carers Charter and established the Carers Advisory Council.

The NSW Carers Charter

The NSW Carers Charter recognises the valuable contribution that carers make and provides guidance on issues of significance for carers. The Charter is set out in Schedule 1 of the Act.

The Carers Advisory Council

The Act established the NSW Carers Advisory Council to promote the interests of carers. The Council also reviews and makes recommendations to Ministers on relevant issues affecting carers.

The 2016 review of the Act

The Act was reviewed in 2016 and the final report on the review of the Act contained ten recommendations. The Act was amended on 1 June 2017 to implement three of these recommendations.

DCJ is leading implementation of the remaining seven recommendations and will update this page as it progresses.

What the Act means for public sector agencies

The Act requires public sector agencies, which includes government departments and local councils, to:

  • take reasonable steps to ensure that staff are aware of and understand the NSW Carers Charter
  • consult with carers or organisations that represent carers when developing policies that impact on carers
  • have regard to the Carers Charter when developing  their human resource policies.

What the Act means for human service agencies

Human service agencies are public sector agencies that provide services to carers or the people they care for. In addition to their obligations as public sector agencies, human service agencies must:

  • ensure the principles of the Carers Charter are reflected in their core work
  • report annually on their compliance with the Act.

We have developed an Annual Reporting Template to assist agencies with their reporting obligations. You can also view a summary of these annual reports:

Resources to implement the Act

Translated Resources

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Last updated: 16 Oct 2020