Self-guided carer coaching
Practical information, resources and tips for carers.
What is it?
Coaching specially designed for carers and the complex reality of being in a caring role, provided your local Carer Gateway service provider.
Each session includes information, practical tips, resources, reflection activities and stories from real Australian carers.
We also offer online carer coaching sessions that can be accessed anywhere, anytime via your home computer, mobile or tablet. Find out more under 'More information'.
Who can use these services?
All carers can access Carer Gateway services.
You are a carer if you are looking after someone with disability, a medical condition, mental illness or who is frail due to age.
Any carer can use the services at any time in their caring journey.
Location
Varies – in Victoria, Carer Gateway services are provided at many sites and locations including metropolitan and regional areas. To find out more, get in touch with our team.
You can choose to meet with a coach in person, or chat with them over the phone or online.
Get in touch
Call 1800 422 737, Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm local time or request a call back here.
More information
Who are carers?
You are a carer if you are looking after someone with disability, a medical condition, mental illness or who is frail due to age.
What other Carer Gateway services are available?
- Connect with other carers – you might like to meet with people like you who care for someone and share stories, knowledge and experience. You can do this with people in your area or you can join the carer forum online.
- Counselling – if you are feeling stressed, anxious, sad or frustrated, a counsellor can talk with you either in person or over the phone in the comfort of your own home
- Respite Care – if you get sick or hurt and you cannot look after someone, emergency respite services can help you. Service providers will find ways to look after the person you care for while you have a break. Planned respite care can also help you plan for regular breaks to rest and recharge.
- Self-guided coaching – you can work through interactive online coaching sessions at your own pace. You can find a range of topics to help you in your caring role.
- Skills courses – you can use these short online courses to help you to learn new skills in caring for someone and yourself.
- Practical help and advice or information about financial support on the Carer Gateway website.
You don't have to know exactly what to ask for – you can just talk through any problems you are having, and Carer Gateway staff will try to match you with services that can help.
How will coaching help me?
The natural demands of a caring role mean it’s easy to overlook or dismiss your own needs; maybe even to the point where you lose touch with your sense of self.
Coaching is about taking time out to think about how you are going, how you’d like things to be and how you might take steps towards making that happen.
Why online coaching?
The online carer coaching sessions can be accessed anywhere, anytime via your home computer, mobile or tablet.
Being a carer can be challenging, rewarding, frustrating, confusing and overwhelming – sometimes all in the one day. The online carer coaching sessions are a guided exploration of the ups and downs of a carer’s life and provide you with opportunities to move towards being a carer who experiences more of the ups and less of the downs.
Online coaching sessions explore topics like finances, health, emotions, supportive relationships, work, study and more.
Who will deliver these services?
Each region in Australia has a Carer Gateway service provider. This means that the person you talk to knows what support and services are available in the area.
In Victoria, Carer Gateway services are provided by a group of seven health and social support providers. Led by Merri Health, the group includes Alfred Health, Ballarat Health Services, Barwon Health, Bendigo Health Care Group, FamilyCare, Uniting (Victoria and Tasmania) Ltd.
Collectively, we have more than 100 years of experience supporting carers in Victoria.
I already receive carer support through another provider. What happens now?
If you are currently receiving carer support from another provider, you will transition to Carer Gateway. Your current service provider will support you in this transition.
You can also ask about other services you might need by calling Carer Gateway on 1800 422 737.
Where can I find out more?
Everything you need to know about carer support is available by visiting the Carer Gateway website or calling 1800 422 737, Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm local time. You can also request a call back here.
Carer Gateway is an Australian Government initiative.
