Stories of Caring and Community is a collection of 5 video interviews with local Aboriginal Carers sharing their experience and learning for the benefit of other carers, service providers and the broader community. Stories of Caring and Community is funded by the NSW Government Department of Family and Community Services and produced by Yarkuwa.
Content Warning Viewers should be aware that these stories include content of personal and family challenges around the caring roles which they have undertaken and which some viewers may find emotionally challenging. Counselling support information is listed at the end of each video and below.
If you need support you can contact:
Carer Line - 1800 242 636 Carer information, emotional support and referrals. 9 - 5 Monday to Friday
Lifeline - 13 11 14 24 hour crisis support and suicide prevention services.
Commonwealth Respite and Carelink Centre – 1800 052 222 (1800 059 059 outside business hours) For emergency respite care. 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Watch Carren's Story - 'Family Caring' Carren is a story of a mother who became a carer as a child and who is still caring for her mother, siblings, extended family and her own children. This story highlights multiple caring roles and the challenges facing carers such as the lack of training and limited respite when one family member takes on the caring roles.
Watch Jeanette's Story - 'Kinship Foster Caring' Jeanette's story highlights the importance of family looking after family and responding to special care needs. This story raises the question of how does a foster carer respond to a child's question of 'why am I in foster care?' It provides examples of inflexible organisational responses to common foster caring support needs leading to a reliance on family respite.
Watch Kerry's Story - '2 Fragile X Sons' Kerry is about a mother of 2 adult sons with Fragile X Syndrome who has learned the requirement to be proactive and ask for information, especially from other carers. The story highlights the need for service providers to take a proactive approach, particularly in relation to linking people with disability to employment.
Watch Tracy's Story - 'Aging Terminally Ill Parent' Tracy's story is from the perspective of a former carer responding to the caring needs of a terminally ill parent. It explores the challenges of living in a rural town setting that requires travelling great distances to specialist health services. This story emphasises the positive aspects of sharing the caring roles amongst family members.
Watch Lois's Story - 'Kinship Foster Caring' Lois is a mature age foster carer of 2 children who are family members. This story highlights how strong family communication and support can not only resolve foster care challenges, but also, reduce the need for organisational service support.
