FECCA has welcomed the announcement by Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Services the Hon Richard Colbeck that the Federal Government will provide an additional $9.67 million in funding per year over two years for the Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP). This funding will support the delivery of respite services for older Australians from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds at 40 aged care and disability care providers.
Importantly, FECCA has also called on the Federal Government to commit to continue providing block funding to ethno-specific and multicultural CHSP providers so they can offer tailored home support services to multicultural communities and help relieve the burden currently placed on families.
Currently, evidence suggests CALD older Australians are underrepresented in the accessing of home support, and that those demands are met to a large extent by family members and carers. Ethno-specific and multicultural CHSP providers are therefore essential in providing respite to carers of CALD older people, by providing culturally safe and appropriate care alongside language services.
FECCA Chairperson Mary Patetsos welcomed the new funding.
"FECCA welcomes the new funding announced today for aged care and disability care CHSP providers, and we look forward to working collaboratively with the Federal Government on the framework for the delivery of these services," Ms Patetsos said.
"However, we want to ensure that this funding is in addition to block funding available to ethno-specific and multicultural providers currently funded under CHSP.
"These providers play an essential role in meeting the social support and other care needs of CALD older people right across Australia in very diverse communities.
"Block funding means providers have a degree of flexibility in how they develop and implement social support services, which is important to ensure services are appropriate to the communities being served. This will help relieve the disproportionate burden currently placed on the family members of older CALD Australians.
"Ethno-specific and multicultural CHSP providers know their communities extremely well, their staff are embedded in those communities, and they have built strong trust and rapport with care recipients and their families."
FECCA is the national peak body representing Australians from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. Our role is to advocate and promote issues on behalf of our constituency to government, business and the broader community.
