Source: The Western Advocate

FED up with token funding and a severe shortage of services, carers across the region have formed a united front to pave the way for reform.

Bathurst District Carers Voice met for the first time yesterday to network ideas and express their needs with the ultimate aim of letting government policy makers know what’s required to improve services.

Chair of Bathurst District Carers Voice, Louise Coyte said while services for the disabled are improving marginally, funding levels are so inadequate it’s very hard for service providers

to deliver anywhere near what’s required.

According to Ms Coyte, topping the list is a desperate need for respite care and supported accommodation followed by counselling and in-home help.

“We want the forum to promote communication between carers, we want to inform government what is needed, that’s the main thing.

“We all know what’s its like, it’s been appalling, it’s been that way for years, but the time has come to move forward and start making changes for the future,” she said.

“We want to raise awareness of carers; we need to talk, get together, network and begin lobbying government,” she said.

Sectary of the Carers Alliance, Mary Lou Carter, was guest speaker at the forum, and said it’s time the issue of disability became part of main stream life.

“It’s been 30 years since the Year of the Person with Disability and look what’s been achieved... [nothing].

“Look at building access, there is no national disability strategy for employment, there is no financial assistance for the disabled to seek and secure employment.

“We need to move away from disability being anchored to charity, the issue needs to be looked at in the mainstream,” she said.

“It doesn’t make sense to exclude these people, they have skills and can contribute, they should be given every opportunity to become taxpayers,” she said.

Ms Carter, who herself has a severely disabled child, said that despite immediate family typically acting in the carers role for the disabled, they have no say in government policy.

“It’s time we [carers] demanded a seat at that table, these people have the right to chart their own course in life,” she said.