Welcome to the last video in Parenting and Caring. Today you will learn about the types of services provided

through formal support. In particular, you will learn to assess the impact accessing formal support services can have on the wellbeing of young carers, aged carers, first-time parents and working parents.

Let’s begin by understanding that Parents and carers may be unaware of the full range of formal support services available to them and their families. Associations around around Australia provide support and services relating to healthcare, education, financial support, child care, respite care and counselling.

Some general examples of the services offered by government agencies and community organisations are outlined in front of you now. If you click on the study notes section below this video, you can view the full

table’s information.

There are quite a few organisations designed to provide a service to parents and carers. Government agencies such as Families NSW and Centrelink, Family And Community Services are examples of agencies

that provide formal support to parents if needed. They have websites, call centres and people who are trained to offer assistance when it is required. For some parents, they will require these type of services to help promote their physical, social and mental wellbeing.

Now let’s look at health care Health care services in Australia provide support for all aspects of physical, mental, emotional, social and spiritual wellbeing. These services are offered by both private and public organisations, who provide parents

and carers access to: • Information • Resources

• Financial assistance • Rehabilitation centres • Medical advice

• Health specialists

We have provided a table of the different organisations that provide relief for health care. Organisations such as health direct offer a help-line for support and information whereas palliative Care Australia provides

support and services patients and carers in particular.

Next we have education In addition to state and government funded schools, parents have access to a broad range of educational

resources, from training and courses to online resources and publications. These services may assist parents and carers pursuing knowledge and tuition, or for parents who want to provide learning support to

V10 - TYPES OF SERVICES PROVIDED THROUGH FORMAL SUPPORT

their children. In our ever changing society, we have access to all of these organisations online and parents

and carers can utilise this type of service to better educate themselves and their children.

For example, Australian Breastfeeding Association is government funded organisation which provides

information, education and training about breastfeeding AND learning potential is a site dedicated to helping parents to become more engaged in their children’s education.

Now we will look at financial support

Many parents and carers benefit from monetary assistance, which offers them relief from the financial strain of providing care to children and dependents. Government programs, like centrelink, and welfare agencies, Carers Australia, offer one-off and ongoing payments for families who are under financial stress. Financial

support includes direct payments, supplemented fees and reimbursements for health care, housing, child care, education and other.

Next is childcare

Child care and early learning services provide certified, safe care and developmental support for children, while their parents are at work or busy with other commitments. My Child is an online portal with information about child care and other related support services, which include:

• Pre-schools • Kindergarten • Long day care

• Occasional day care • Before and after school care • Family day care

• In-home care • Vacation care

Child care services are specifically aimed at employed parents, who are unable to fulfil full-time parenting duties, in addition to working and earning an income. These facilities can provide beneficial learning and social environments for children, which positively supplement at-home parental care. Unfortunately, child

care services are not always a viable option, as they are expensive and in high demand. Parents can access some government subsidies and payments, but this is not always enough to offset or eliminate the financial strain on families.

Now we will look at respite care Respite care can provide carers with urgent relief by offering temporary care to dependents in need. This benefits the carer, who has an opportunity to recharge and recover from the demands of their role, and the

dependent, who continues to receive high quality care.

The types of institutions that offer respite services include:

• Hospitals • Nursing home • Aged care facilities

• Hospices • Day centres

Respite care is in high demand, meaning that it is not always available. When support is available it can be

for as little as a few hours and no longer than a few weeks. Government subsidies are available for respite care, although the reimbursement may not always cover the full cost.

Finally we will look at counselling

Caring for others can put a lot of physical and emotional stress on carers and parents. Speaking with a counsellor can provide care providers with an opportunity to talk through their problems and alleviate some of the mental stress they experience as a result of their role. Parents and carers can access counselling

services via community health centres, private practices, over the phone and online.

Unlike psychiatrists, who are medically trained specialists in mental health, counsellors are not required to

possess formal qualifications. Parents and carers will want to carefully assess whether they are comfortable with the training and experience of a counsellor before they invest any time or money.

Counselling can provide relief for parents, carers and depression who are suffering from grief, depression, anxiety, carers fatigue and poor mental health. However, if symptoms like stress and unhappiness persist more intense treatment and care may be required.

While we have given you examples of the different types of services that are available, it is important for parents and carers to become educated in these areas and to actually know they exist. A lot of parents, will not access these services unless they are told to by someone they know. Being educated and accessing

these areas will help improve the wellbeing of parents and carers.