Carer Engagement Project

Little can be done to alleviate the difficult lives of mental health carers without knowing what the issues of caring are.

In 2008-09, the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA ) and the Mental Health Council of Australia (MHCA) undertook 116 workshops with mental health carers across Australia to hear about those things which seriously affect their lives and the lives of the people they care for.

Information provided by over 1,500 participants allowed the MHCA to identify 15 major issues:

1. Listen to and respect carers
2. Integrated recovery-based care for the consumer
3. More and better trained staff at all levels
4. Knowledge and information for carers
5. Carer and consumer education for all professional groups and agencies
6. Support systems, services and processes established for carers
7. Therapeutic and accessible acute care
8. Stigma, discrimination and isolation for carers and consumers
9. Accommodation options for consumers at all levels of care
10. Financial costs to carers
11. Physical and mental health of carers
12. Flexible respite options for carers
13. Privacy and confidentiality issues
14. Early intervention at each episode of care
15. Employment options for carers

A follow-up survey of carers in 2010 found that carers continued to identify with these 15 major issues.

Workshops 2008-09

Full day workshops were convened across Australia with nearly two thirds of the workshops occuring in regional, rural or remote locations. Specific CALD, Aboriginal and young carer workshops were held.

Workshop findings were published in the MHCA publication entitled Adversity to Advocacy: The Lives of Mental Health Carers

In 2009, the MHCA also published the Adversity to Advocacy Report Card 2009

Mental Health Carer Survey 2010

To find out if things had improved for carers in the previous 12 months, carers were requested to respond to a printed or internet based survey fucssing on the 15 key issues identified in the 2008-09 workshops.
The results of the survey were published in the MHCA Mental Health Carers Report 2010

Annual survey and workshops

The MHCA plan to continue reporting on issues specific to mental health carers and will endeavour to solicit their comments and stories via workshops and an annual survey.
Each year carers will be asked if the major issues in their caring life have improved or not. Each year a current and comprehensive report will be produced by the MHCA and used to lobby for positive changes to the lives of mental health carers.
If you are a carer and wish to be part of this ongoing work please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Mental Health Carers Online Forum

The MHCA host an internet discussion forum where mental health carers can talk to each other and share information, ideas and thoughts. The forum is completely private and accessible to only mental health carers upon completion of a short form. In order to gain access to the online forum, please complete the Mental Health Carers Online Forum Application Form.

MHCA Bulletin

Carers and others interested in mental health are invited to receive a weekly email bulletin provided by the MHCA which contains issues, thoughts and ideas found in Australia and elsewhere concerning the mental health, wellbeing and service provision.
If you would like to receive the bulletin please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .