World first: national conversation on ethics of caring in a good society
Carers NSW, with partners Macquarie Bank Foundation and St James Ethics Centre, have launched a major project – ‘Who Cares?’ The Ethics of Caring in a Good Society: national conversation, national action.
This world-first research project, funded by the Macquarie Bank Foundation, has the potential to influence and shape this growing caring sector, internationally.
There is considerable uncertainty about whether the current caring scenario can be maintained. Both the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) and the National Centre for Social and Economic Modelling (NATSEM), have considered the future supply of carers. In the case of carers of older people, NATSEM found, that while the number of available carers will rise 57% by 2031, the number of older people requiring care will increase by 160%. This will lead to a shortfall of people available to provide care.
Against this background, Carers NSW, the peak state organisation for carers, asks the questions: “What is a good society? What is caring? Whose responsibility is it to care? What does caring look like in a good society?”
The ‘Who Cares?’ project will be underpinned by the research findings from 50 focus groups to be conducted across the nation, and online feedback available to all through the St James Ethics Centre website.
To reflect the diversity of the Australian experience, focus group participants will include current and former carers, the corporate and small business sectors, media, public and private health and disability sectors, ethicists, medical practitioners, government and non-government organisations.
Both religious and secular perspectives will be sought, as well as perspectives from people from different geographic, cultural and socio-economic backgrounds.
The project work is expected to be 12-18 months in duration. It will be an important step to delivering the support carers needed to look after their loved ones.
For more information visit http://www.carersnsw.asn.au; http://www.macquarie.com/foundation/index.htm; http://www.ethics.org.au/
