Family Carers

Family Carers Ireland is the national charity supporting the 500,000+ family carers across the country who care for loved ones such as children or adults with additional needs, physical or intellectual disabilities, frail older people, those with palliative care needs or those living with chronic illnesses, mental health challenges or addiction.

Our vision is an Ireland in which family carers are properly recognised, supported and empowered. Our mission is to highlight the contribution of family carers to Irish society and to improve the lives of family carers throughout the country. We believe that no one should have to care alone.

As a not-for-profit organisation, we support family carers and young carers through the provision of free emergency care planning, counselling, specialised training and education programmes, wellbeing support, crisis management, emergency respite/respite provision, advocacy, peer support groups information on rights and entitlements and many other worthwhile initiatives. 

The key objective of Family Carers Ireland is to benefit the community by supporting and promoting the health, wellbeing and quality of life of family carers and those for whom they care. We strive to promote carer resilience by enabling all family carers to:

  Be confident in their individual carer roles;
  Establish and maintain a regular caring routine;
  Feel listened to, valued and not alone;
  Be able to access relevant training, guidance and support;
  Be informed of their rights and entitlements;
  Meet and speak with their peers in a safe, relaxed environment;
  Take a break from a demanding and stressful caring role;
  Know where to seek additional support from the State and their community;
  Access emergency supports when needed