Record Spending on Children's Development

A local carer organisation has announced that it has collected and spent a record amount to assist unpaid carers during the 2022/23 Financial Year.

Grandcarers SA supports grandparents, and other unpaid kinship carers (Grandcarers), who are the full-time primary carers of children from their families.

Due to the circumstances of the children’s parents, the children are mostly in the permanent care of immediate family members including grandparents and even great-grandparents. Many Grandcarers are at a time in their life when they should be putting their feet up rather than raising and providing a safe and nurturing home for children.

Grandcarers SA provides assistance to over 1100 Grandcarer families through a variety of personal, group and financial supports. These include their award winning peer support group ‘Village’ meetings (monthly at 13 locations across

SA), their telephone helpline and the Education and Development Fund (EDF) which provides limited financial assistance for Grandcarers to purchase articles such as school shoes and uniform, laptops, sports equipment and extra-curricular activities.

As well as recently doubling the number of Village locations, for the first time in its 21 year history, Grandcarers SA were able to break the $100,000 barrier by distributing over $107,000 to their clients.

CEO Mike Feszczak was thrilled “This is a fantastic effort by the Grandcarers SA team. A lot of work goes into preparing numerous grant applications to try to get funding for the EDF, then there is the administration, fund distribution, acquittals and reports required by the generous philanthropic organisations, all this whilst doubling our volunteer support through the increase in Village locations”.

He also described the difference the EDF makes to the child beneficiaries “This funding helps us ensure that a child can go to school wearing the same uniform as the other children, have the correct sports shoes or equipment, have the use of a laptop to support their education at school or at home or not be left behind when their classmates are attending extra-curricular activities. We are giving children a chance, through their carers”.

Grandcarers SA is still seeking funding or support through the 2023/24 financial year. Contact contactus@grandcarers. au or visit their website, www. grandcarers.au for more information.