Victoria Support for Carers Program

The Victorian Support for Carers Program (SCP) provides tailored flexible supports to carers based on the specific needs of the carer. These supports may include counselling or respite or other supports that help carers at a time of need. Carers provide care for a partner, friend, family member or loved one with care needs. As a carer, you may be supporting a person with a disability, mental illness, chronic condition, an older person with care needs, or a person in palliative care.

The SCP program focuses on person centred care and support through:

• Providing one–off or short-term support for carers, including goods and equipment, that can add to other services or fill service gaps

• Supporting the carer separately or both the carer and the person they care for at the same time and at the same place, for example sharing in an enjoyable activity in the local com-munity

• Helping carers maintain their own health and wellbeing and adding to their quality of life –through respite and through increased opportunities for social connection, and social and/or physical activities that support health and mental wellbeing. For example carers can re-ceive respite to take a break from their care role, along with social, health and other sup-ports, including personal or financial counselling, a group activity or a massage.