Person—informal carer existence indicator, code N

DSS specific information:

Informal carers are now present in 1 in 20 households in Australia (Schofield HL. Herrman HE, Bloch S, Howe A and Singh B. ANZ J PubH. 1997) and are acknowledged as having a very important role in the care of stroke survivors (Stroke Australia Task Force. National Stroke Strategy. NSF; 1997) and in those with end-stage renal disease.

Absence of a carer may also preclude certain treatment approaches (for example, home dialysis for end-stage renal disease). Social isolation has also been shown to have a negative impact on prognosis in males with known coronary artery disease with several studies suggesting increased mortality rates in those living alone or with no confidant.

DSS specific information:

Informal carers are now present in 1 in 20 households in Australia (Schofield HL. Herrman HE, Bloch S, Howe A and Singh B. ANZ J PubH. 1997) and are acknowledged as having a very important role in the care of stroke survivors (Stroke Australia Task Force. National Stroke Strategy. NSF; 1997) and in those with end-stage renal disease.

Absence of a carer may also preclude certain treatment approaches (for example, home dialysis for end-stage renal disease). Social isolation has also been shown to have a negative impact on prognosis in males with known coronary artery disease with several studies suggesting increased mortality rates in those living alone or with no confidant.

DSS specific information:

Informal carers are now present in 1 in 20 households in Australia (Schofield HL. Herrman HE, Bloch S, Howe A and Singh B. ANZ J PubH. 1997) and are acknowledged as having a very important role in the care of stroke survivors (Stroke Australia Task Force. National Stroke Strategy. NSF; 1997) and in those with end-stage renal disease.

Absence of a carer may also preclude certain treatment approaches (for example, home dialysis for end-stage renal disease). Social isolation has also been shown to have a negative impact on prognosis in males with known coronary artery disease with several studies suggesting increased mortality rates in those living alone or with no confidant.

DSS specific information:

It is recognised that two or more people may equally share the caring role (e.g. mother and father) however, for the purposes of this collection, characteristics are only requested for one of these carers.

It is also recognised that the roles of parent and carer, particularly in the case of children, are difficult to distinguish. Parents of children should generally be recorded as a carer if they provide more care to their child than would be typical of the care provided to a child of the same age without a disability.

DSS specific information:

It is recognised that two or more people may equally share the caring role (e.g. mother and father) however, for the purposes of this collection, characteristics are only requested for one of these carers.

It is also recognised that the roles of parent and carer, particularly in the case of children, are difficult to distinguish. Parents of children should generally be recorded as a carer if they provide more care to their child than would be typical of the care provided to a child of the same age without a disability.

Implementation start date: 01/07/2009

DSS specific information:

It is recognised that two or more people may equally share the caring role (e.g. mother and father) however, for the purposes of this collection, characteristics are only requested for one of these carers.

It is also recognised that the roles of parent and carer, particularly in the case of children, are difficult to distinguish. Parents of children should generally be recorded as a carer if they provide more care to their child than would be typical of the care provided to a child of the same age without a disability.

Implementation start date: 01/07/2010

DSS specific information:

It is recognised that two or more people may equally share the caring role (e.g. mother and father) however, for the purposes of this collection, characteristics are only requested for one of these carers.

It is also recognised that the roles of parent and carer, particularly in the case of children, are difficult to distinguish. Parents of children should generally be recorded as a carer if they provide more care to their child than would be typical of the care provided to a child of the same age without a disability.

Implementation start date: 01/07/2011

DSS specific information:

It is recognised that two or more people may equally share the caring role (e.g. mother and father) however, for the purposes of this collection, characteristics are only requested for one of these carers.

It is also recognised that the roles of parent and carer, particularly in the case of children, are difficult to distinguish. Parents of children should generally be recorded as a carer if they provide more care to their child than would be typical of the care provided to a child of the same age without a disability.

Implementation start date: 01/07/2012

Implementation end date: 30/06/2014

DSS specific information:

In the DS NMDS this data item refers to whether someone, such as a family member, friend or neighbour, has been identified as providing regular and sustained care and assistance to the person requiring support.

Informal carers include those people who receive a pension or benefit for their caring role but do not include paid or volunteer carers organised by formal services. This includes a host family or foster care situation where the family is paid to care for a service user.

A carer is someone who provides a significant amount of care and/or assistance to the person on a regular and sustained basis. ‘Regular’ and ‘sustained’ in this instance means that care or assistance has to be ongoing, or likely to be ongoing for at least 6 months.

Excluded from the definition of carers are paid workers or volunteers organised by formal services (including paid staff in funded group homes).

It is recognised that two or more people may equally share the caring role (e.g. mother and father) however, for the purposes of this collection, characteristics are only requested for one of these carers.

It is also recognised that the roles of parent and carer, particularly in the case of children, are difficult to distinguish. Carers of children may consider they are a carer (as well as a parent) if they provide more care to their child than would be typical of the care provided to a child of the same age without a disability.

This data item is purely descriptive of a service user’s circumstances. It is not intended to reflect whether the carer is considered by the funded agency capable of undertaking the caring role.

In line with this, the expressed views of the service user and/or their carer should be used as the basis of determining whether the service user is recorded as having a carer or not.

When asking a service user about the availability of a carer, it is important to recognise that a carer does not always live with the person for whom they care. That is, a person providing significant care and assistance to the person may not live with the person in order to be called a carer.

Implementation start date: 01/07/2014

Implementation end date: 30/06/2015

DSS specific information:

In the Disability Services Minimum Data Set (DS NMDS), this data item refers to whether someone, such as a family member, friend or neighbour, has been identified as providing regular and sustained care and assistance to the person requiring support.

Informal carers include those people who receive a pension or benefit for their caring role but do not include paid or volunteer carers organised by formal services. This includes a host family or foster care situation where the family is paid to care for a service user.

A carer is someone who provides a significant amount of care and/or assistance to the person on a regular and sustained basis. ‘Regular’ and ‘sustained’ in this instance means that care or assistance has to be ongoing, or likely to be ongoing for at least 6 months.

Excluded from the definition of carers are paid workers or volunteers organised by formal services (including paid staff in funded group homes).

It is recognised that two or more people may equally share the caring role (e.g. mother and father) however, for the purposes of this collection, characteristics are only requested for one of these carers.

It is also recognised that the roles of parent and carer, particularly in the case of children, are difficult to distinguish. Carers of children may consider they are a carer (as well as a parent) if they provide more care to their child than would be typical of the care provided to a child of the same age without a disability.

This data item is purely descriptive of a service user’s circumstances. It is not intended to reflect whether the carer is considered by the funded agency capable of undertaking the caring role.

In line with this, the expressed views of the service user and/or their carer should be used as the basis of determining whether the service user is recorded as having a carer or not.

When asking a service user about the availability of a carer, it is important to recognise that a carer does not always live with the person for whom they care. That is, a person providing significant care and assistance to the person may not live with the person in order to be called a carer.