One in five VPS respondents said they were carers for people who may need higher care. There is a high level of intersectionality in this group.
Carers (estimate)
Intersectionality
Sources
Flexibility, trust and outcome focus
Participants reported a shift back to a more traditional way of working. There has been less flexibility. Manager trust and a focus on work quality and outcomes can reduce pressure on staff who need flexibility to meet caring responsibilities. Participants highlighted the importance of flexible and part-time work arrangements. This includes hybrid work, working from home, and flexible start and finish times. For carers, flexibility is not only about hours worked. It is also about autonomy, predictability, and the ability to respond to emergencies or changes in care requirements. Examples include new assessments, diagnosis processes or treatment plans. Approaches should be person-centred. Managers should trust employees to know where, when and how they can work most productively.
Legitimacy of care and upholding privacy
Feedback showed a lack of understanding of carer responsibilities. Managers and colleagues sometimes question care arrangements. There can also be limited understanding of responsibilities as a carer. Organisations and managers must uphold privacy and dignity. They must keep personal and health information of the person receiving care confidential. Some staff said they did not feel safe to share their carer status. They were concerned it could affect job security or career progression.
Recognising the unpredictability of care
Staff value continuity in agreed adjustments when a new manager starts. Care responsibilities can change and be unpredictable. Organisations, especially frontline areas, need safeguards that apply when baseline staffing is affected by unplanned leave. This helps ensure carers and the people they care for are not negatively impacted. Caring responsibilities can be ongoing. Once shared, they should not require repeated validation. Reducing unnecessary requests for medical certificates helps reduce financial and practical burden. It also recognises ongoing, chronic and episodic illness. Alternative forms of verification or self-declaration were seen as more appropriate.
Wellbeing, career development and burnout
Carers can feel isolated. Their wellbeing and needs may be unintentionally overlooked due to:
At times when caring duties increase, workplace pressures can add to stress at home. This can lead to fatigue and burnout. Many employees said they were balancing care needs with their own health needs. A lack of recognition of carers can reduce their likelihood of pursuing leadership opportunities and career progression.
The Victorian Carer Strategy 2025–2035 sets out action areas to better recognise, value and support carers. Relevant actions in Our Equal State: Victoria’s gender equality strategy and action plan 2023–2027 were also considered. This is because the majority of carers are women.
Organisations will implement actions in ways that suit their own context. Example activities provide guidance.
Example activities
Example activities