A carer is anyone who provides ongoing assistance to a family member or friend who requires help due to disability, chronic illness, mental illness or frail age.

Usually a child’s carer is their parent but for some children this could be grandparents, aunts and uncles, foster carers or siblings.

The carer support program aims to make the hospital a better place for carers. We do this by providing:

  • the parent and carer resource centres
  • carer support volunteers who can see you at your child’s bedside, keep you company and bring information
  • improvement to hospital services to make it more comfortable and accessible to carers
  • hospital policies and procedures that consider carers’ needs. 

The Parent and Carer Resource Centre at Westmead

The centre has been designed by parents for parents. It provides a relaxing and homely environment where parents and carers can take a break.

The centre is staffed by a team of trained carer support volunteers who are dedicated to providing a friendly atmosphere and a listening ear.

The centre offers the following services to parents and carers, free of charge:

  • tea and coffee facilities
  • microwave
  • book exchange
  • information about carer services
  • information about the local area and public transport
  • computer and internet access
  • daily newspapers and magazines

If you cannot make it into the centre or prefer not to leave your child’s bedside, our volunteers can visit your ward to keep you company or to bring carer  information. Just call extension 50580 from the bedside phone.

The Parent and Carer Resource Centre is located on level two of the Hospital. It is opposite the Kids Health Bookshop. For more information phone (02) 7825 0580 or (02) 7825 3590.

Parent and Carer Resource Room, Randwick

A space where parents, carers and visitors can sit and relax, read or watch some television. A number of brochures and health related resources are also available in the room.

The resource room is located on level 0, between the admissions department and Sunny’s Café. which is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.