Valuing Unpaid Care

As a peak body we are keen to shape the future direction of research concerning carers, care relationships and lived experiences of caring.

This Research Agenda for 2017-2020 is based on proven experience in supporting carers in their daily lives and existing research outcomes.

Carers Victoria’s Research Agenda outlines three broad research themes with the potential to significantly advance existing knowledge, inform the work of Carers Victoria, and ultimately make carers’ lives better:

1. The social contribution of care

This theme recognises interdependence in relationships between carers and people receiving care and includes research measuring the social capital produced through care relationships, as well as the social return on investment in supporting informal care.

2. Quality of life for carers

This theme includes research into effective interventions to improve carer wellbeing, in particular addressing loneliness and social isolation. This theme encompasses research into effective strategies to reach people who do not identify as carers or who have needs related to their membership of diverse population groups.

3. Supporting carer capabilities

This theme is focused on research into strategies to support carers having the freedom to achieve their own capabilities while caring for another person. The priority areas for this theme are: investigating the role of carers in individualised, consumer-directed care programs; assistive technology to promote independence; and innovative support for employed carers.

Carers Victoria welcomes approaches by prospective research partners with research questions and project proposals which address these three themes. We look forward to advancing our Research Agenda with you.