Carer & Family Support
Arafmi provides a range of free support services for mental health carers across Queensland. With over 45 years of experience, we understand the unique challenges carers face in supporting someone with mental ill-health.
Our services can be tailored to meet the specific support needs of carers and include:
- 24-hour Carer Support Telephone Line
- One-on-one support
- Carer support groups
- Workshop and information sessions
- Regional carer support
- Culture Care
- Carer respite accommodation
- Upcoming events
Carers can self-refer or be referred by a health professional, family member or friend (with consent).
The Arafmi Carer Supports are primarily funded by Queensland Health and free for mental health carers in Queensland.
How can Arafmi carer support services help you?
If you look after someone in your family or community who experiences mental ill-health, we can help you with:
- Practical and emotional support: whether in-person, online or over the phone, we’ll listen to where you’re at, take time to understand your situation and connect you to supports that build your skills and confidence.
- Skills for your caring role: learn how to identify, build on and practice the skills you need in your caring role.
- Feeling less alone: connect with other carers who understand what you’re going through, share your experiences and learn from others.
- Mental health awareness: learn more about the mental health system, available services, mental health knowledge and what to expect in your caring journey.
- Finding support and services: we’ll help you get the information and support you need.
FAQ's
A mental health carer is someone who provides unpaid care to a family, friend or community member living with mental ill-health. While some carers may receive government carer payments, they are not employed as carers.
Many mental health carers don’t see themselves as ‘carers’ — they view it as a family or community responsibility. Each caring situation is unique, and no two carer journeys are the same.
Carers can be of all ages and have different relationships with the person living with mental ill-health. This includes children, adults, siblings, parents, grandparents, partners, other family, friends, neighbours or members of the community.
The person you care for does not need to have a formalised mental health diagnosis or NDIS package. If you identify that the person you care for has mental health needs and you are requiring support as a carer then you are encouraged to contact the Arafmi Carer Support Team.
Some people experience mental health needs and other disabilities (e.g. intellectual disability) or health related needs and can require different specialised carer supports. If you are not sure if Arafmi has the right supports for you please call our team for assistance.
Yes, the carer supports are for people in Queensland who care for someone with mental health needs regardless of whether the person they support is an inpatient, outpatient, living in supported accommodation, accessing private services or using public services.
The 24-hour Carer Support Line is available to carers across Queensland over the phone.
Online supports for carers include individual support, information and education sessions and support groups. There are general support groups and specialised support groups including caring for a young person, caring for a partner/spouse and caring for a person with a dual diagnosis.
In some regions we have face-to-face support groups. An up-to-date listing is on the website at Carer Support Groups | Arafmi. If carers are interested in starting a support group, they are encouraged to contact us to discuss their interest and we can provide training and support to establish a group.
The Arafmi Carer Supports are primarily funded by Queensland Health. This means supports are free for carers.
Being a financial member of Arafmi is optional. Carers are encouraged to become a member for a small annual fee of $5 unwaged and $10 waged as this provides voting rights at the Annual General meeting.
The Arafmi Carer Supports are available for carers to access as and when they need them. Carers can choose to access just one support or multiple supports and services.
The 24-hour Carer Support Line is available 24/7 with no limit to access.
The face-to-face and online groups can be accessed as one offs, on an ongoing basis or as and when needed.
Workshops topics are repeated and carers can attend the same workshop again if they want.
Short term individual carer support sessions can be provided to discuss a particular issue. Where specific counselling is needed we can assist with linking people with suitable ongoing emotional support.
Overnight respite is available for carers. Carers usually book for 1-3 nights per stay. As part of the intake process carers situations are assessed and bookings prioritised in response to needs.
There are no waiting lists to access the 24-hour Carer Support Line. After hours, the service has one line so if the line is busy, please call back.
Most supports groups are held monthly and these do not have waiting lists.
We ask that you register for all workshops and education sessions. Further sessions could be organised if there was a higher than usual interest.
For respite, individual support and some events there can be a wait list. These are regularly monitored and prioritised to meet carers’ individual needs.
Arafmi can provide emotional support for carers e.g., through phone support but unfortunately it is not part of our role to be individual advocates. We are unable to be a part of review tribunals and physically attend meetings with carers. As we are not an advocacy service for individuals we will assist you to link with specialised and appropriate advocacy services.
Arafmi however, as the peak mental carer body in Queensland undertakes systems advocacy to represent the voices of carers and improve the mental health system. Click here for more info. .
There are a range of other organisations that provide supports, funding and/or information for carers. Some of these include:
Carer Gateway: 1800 422 737 | www.carergateway.gov.au
Carers Queensland: 07 3900 8100 | www.carersqld.com.au
Children of Parents with a Mental Illness (COPMI): www.copmi.net.au
Eating Disorders Queensland: 07 3844 6055 | www.eatingdisordersqueensland.org.au
Little Dreamers (Young Carer organisation): 1800 717 515 | https://www.littledreamers.org.au/
Young Carers Network: www.youngcarersnetwork.com.au
You are encouraged to look at these websites for details and contact the organisations directly for more information. We can also provide details to assist you to know which may be of relevance.
Carers can self–refer to any of the Arafmi Carer Support Services or be referred by a health professional, family member or friend when consent has been given. A member of the Arafmi Carer Support Team will then connect with the carer, discuss their needs and assist them to access / book the relevant support.
