A review of a payment for carers of severely disabled children has slammed the system as ineffective and counter-productive for the parents it is meant to help.
A taskforce led by Tony Blunn found there were "fundamental flaws" in the assessment criteria for carer payments, leaving some parents who should have been entitled to the money without income support.
The review also found that the current system did not fully recognise the financial and emotional burden placed on parents forced to care for their disabled children, and that many mothers and fathers were caught in a catch 22 situation: needing to work to supplement their income but being unable to find employment that was flexible enough to accommodate their caring responsibilities.
"On the basis of its appreciation of the underlying purpose of Carer Payment (child) and as a result of its review, the overwhelming conclusion of the Taskforce is that the payment is not an effective safety net," the report said.
The Taskforce has delivered 32 recommendations, including that the government review "the overall costs of caring and costs of disability incurred by carers and children with severe disability or medical conditions in light of the adequacy and availability of current payments and other financial support for carers".
It also says childcare options for children with high care needs should be examined to encourage workforce participation by carers, and that employers be helped to provide work.
More than 4000 submissions were made to the review, the overwhelming majority from parents struggling to cope under the current arrangements.
The Taskforce report was released yesterday by federal community services minister Jenny Macklin.
Related News:
- Read the full report here.
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