By Holly McGuinness
Community members are being asked to provide feedback over a four week period on the draft Brimbank Carers Support Plan 2022 – 2025 (BCSP) as the motion for community consultation was carried at Tuesday night’s council meeting.
The motion also includes the endorsement of a 12-month pilot carers hub within the Keilor Downs Community Centre.
Councillor Maria Kerr who is personally connected to this plan said, “I’m very pleased with this development and urge carers in Brimbank to get on board,
“Please provide us with your ideas, your suggestions because we need your feedback. You know, we need to walk in your shoes, we need to know how you feel about things,” said Cr Kerr.
The plan has been developed in alignment with the Victorian Carer Strategy 2018-2022, which includes five key priorities; ensuring that carers are healthy and well, supported in school, study and work environments, are able to access support and services that meet their needs, have less financial stress and that they are recognised, acknowledged and respected.
Cr Victoria Borg who seconded the motion said, “the carers support plan reflects significant consultation with carers, including consultation with 96 participants, holding a Disability Action plan carers workshop with 10 participants and extensive consultation with key stakeholders such as the Department of Families fairness, and housing, ethnic communities council of Victoria, carers Victoria and benchmarking with other councils”
Council said that the BCSP aims to support the invaluable contribution carers make as they provide unpaid care and support to family members and friends who have a disability, mental illness, chronic condition, terminal illness, an alcohol or drug related problem, or who are frail-aged within the community.
“So it’s really important that carers have access to this support and to be simply recognized and acknowledged and most importantly, they deserve to be respected,” said Cr Kerr
