Carer Gateway

If you care for a family member or friend and it’s impacting your mental health, Carer Gateway can provide you with emotional, practical and financial support.

Carer Gateway offers online and phone counselling, and also provides practical information and resources including coaching, online skill courses, tailored support packages, emergency respite and the facilitation of peer support groups.

Carer Gateway services are available for all unpaid carers who care for someone close to them. They are available to help from Monday to Friday from 8am to 6pm.

As a carer, you may find there are many things you need to juggle on a day-to-day basis. You may also be working or studying. Carer Gateway can provide you with support if you’re struggling with your mental health, or if you’re seeking practical tips and resources to help you in your role.

Carer Gateway can:

• Support in your carer role, including help on speaking up for someone, dealing with health services or managing behaviour
• Guide you on legal matters
• Help you find balance in your carer role, especially if you’re working or studying
• Offer advice for looking after yourself
• Assist you in planning for the future, for end of life arrangements and emergencies.

Carer Gateway provides a range of free services and support just for carers. Services are delivered in-person, online and over the phone. Our dedicated team of Carer Gateway service providers across Australia, which you may already be familiar with, provide in-person services across Australia.

Services include:

• In-person and online peer support groups – you might like to meet with people like you who care for someone and share stories, knowledge and experience. You can do this with people in your area or you can join the carer forum online.
• Tailored support packages – you may be able to get a range of practical supports like planned respite and transport services to help you in your caring role.
• In-person and phone counselling – if you are feeling stressed, anxious, sad or frustrated, a counsellor can talk with you either in person or over the phone in the comfort of your own home.
• In-person and online self-guided coaching – you can talk to a professional coach to reflect on your experience and needs, identify personal goals and create a plan to reach these goals, or you can work through interactive online coaching sessions at your own pace. There are a range of topics to help you in your caring role.
• Online skills courses to support your wellbeing and understanding of legal responsibilities relating to the caring role.
• Access to emergency respite - if you suddenly find you can’t provide care, for example if you become ill or injured. Service providers will find ways to look after the person you care for while you recover.

There are a number of ways you can access Carer Gateway services. Firstly you can access their website.

When you call 1800 422 737, you’ll be prompted to select option 1 in order to speak with a Carer Gateway service provider. They will:

1. Support you through the registration process
2. Ask you a few questions about your situation. Your answers will help the staff find services that match your needs
3. Start the planning process and refer you to services that can help

You can also ask for a call back.

To organise an appointment for phone counselling, call 1800 422 737 and select option 2.

Call the Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS) on 13 14 50. Carer Gateway also provides translated resources.

Connect to the National Relay Service (internet relay) and ask for 1800 422 737.

Call TTY (teletypewriter) on 1800 555 677 and ask for 1800 422 737.

Call Speak and Listen (speech-to-speech relay) on 1800 555 727 and ask for 1800 422 737.

Phone number: 1800 422 737

You can also access email support by filling in this online form.