Empowering carers

By sharing your experiences and feedback, you can help shape better programs and drive meaningful change across the care system. Carer Advisory Groups (CAGs) – formerly known as Carer Reference Groups – provide a collaborative space for carers to work alongside out-of-home care (OOHC) staff from non-government organisations and the Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ).

Through CAGs, carers contribute directly to improving foster, relative and kinship care in NSW by sharing insights, raising issues, and helping inform better practice and decision-making.

Carers for Kids NSW supports this process by gathering carer insights, tracking key issues and trends and working with DCJ and sector partners to influence policy and practice improvements. CAGs offer a local, practical and meaningful way for carers to have their voices heard.

By joining a CAG, you can help improve:

  • carer support
  • recruitment and retention
  • advocacy
  • service design and delivery

Local voices

There’s a CAG near you. Five regional CAGs represent DCJ districts across NSW, providing carers with opportunities to raise issues that matter in their local area.

You can join one of the following CAGs:

Western – Murrumbidgee, Far West & Western NSW

Sydney – Western Sydney & Nepean/Blue Mountains, Sydney, South Eastern Sydney, Northern Sydney, South Western Sydney

Hunter – Hunter & Central Coast

Southern – Illawarra Shoalhaven & Southern NSW

Northern – Mid North Coast, Northern NSW & New England

How do I join a Carer Advisory Group?

If you’re an authorised foster carer, guardian, grandparent or kinship carer in NSW, we’d love to hear from you. CAGs welcome carers from all backgrounds and experiences, and your perspective helps shape better support, policies and services.

To learn more about what’s involved, download the CAG Terms of Reference.

Once we receive your expression of interest, a member of our team will be in touch to discuss next steps.

If you’re interested in having your voice heard, please complete and submit an Expression of Interest form.

For questions about Carer Advisory Groups, email careradvisorygroup@carersforkidsnsw.org.au.

Carer Representatives

Each CAG has a nominated Carer Representative who represents the group at higher-level meetings and forums. Carer Representatives also share feedback and perspectives from their local group when required.

For information about your local Carer Representative, please contact careradvisorygroup@carersforkidsnsw.org.au.