Your rights
The Carers Recognition Act 2021 (ACT) recognises and acknowledges carers in law.
The Act outlines the principles by which services, programs and government bodies should treat carers.
This provides a guarantee that carers will be seen and heard in government and service policy and program development and a significant step towards carers being seen and valued as equal partners in care.
Your rights
The Carers Recognition Act 2021 (ACT) is an Act specific to the ACT, which recognises and promotes the role carers have in our community. The Act outlines principles that require organisations to consider and adapt practices to support the care relationship that exists between carers and the people they care for.
The Act is a set of principles that will support people in care relationships. Carer and care support agencies will be required to comply and report on these principles. The Care Relationship Principles consider the treatment of carers, the treatment of people being cared for and the treatment of people in a care relationship.
Because the work of carers can be unrecognised, carers often do not receive the support they need. This Act will provide better recognition of carers and their needs and will improve support to carers. This will in turn improve the health and wellbeing of carers in our community.
The Act will apply to family and friend carers, and foster and kinship carers. It will not apply to people who are employed to provide care, such as nurses or support workers.
Under the Act, care and carer support agencies will promote and uphold the principles of the Act, consult with carers when updating policies and procedures and consider the care relationships within their own organisations.
Care and carer support agencies will need to report on their compliance with their obligations under the Act.
ACT Carers Recognition Act ACT Carers Recognition Bill 2021
The Carers Recognition Act was signed into law on 02 December 2021.