Grandcarers play a vital role in our communities, stepping up to take on full-time responsibility for their grandchildren to ensure they are raised in a safe and nurturing environment while preserving family connections.

On average, grandcarers provide this care for 6.3 years, often stepping into the role unexpectedly to prevent children entering the foster care system.

Despite the critical nature of their contribution, grandcarers receive significantly less financial support than foster carers, creating a disparity that needs urgent attention.

With an increasing number of children being cared for by grandparents, the current Grandcarers Support Scheme is seeing a 10 to 13 per cent increase in demand per year.

Many children under the care of their grandparents face high-needs mental health challenges, which adds complexity and cost to the caregiving role.

This situation is further compounded by the fact that half of all grandcarers manage their own medical conditions, making it even more challenging for them to provide the level of care their grandchildren require.

Grandcarers dedicate themselves to giving their grandchildren a stable and loving home, often at great personal sacrifice.

It is imperative we recognise and support their invaluable efforts.

The WA Liberals know grandcarers need and deserve more assistance.

Grandcarers deserve equitable financial assistance and access to resources to ensure they can maintain their health and well-being while continuing to provide the critical care that transforms the lives of their grandchildren.

Supporting grandcarers isn’t just an act of fairness—it’s an investment in the well-being of children and the strength of our communities.

Only a WA Liberal Government will prioritise it.

The WA Liberals believe carers, especially grandcarers, are the backbone of our communities and should be recognised for stepping up when asked.

Despite the critical role that grandcarers play in the lives of their loved ones, grandcarers often face financial and emotional challenges.

Wanslea — the state’s only government-funded provider of dedicated support for grandparents — allocates grandcarers an annual $1,000 payment to cover some costs associated with raising their grandchild.

The Cook Labor Government has not increased these payments, despite the current cost of living crisis.

As a result of current pressures, financial resources for grandcarers are being depleted more rapidly, leaving 95 per cent of them struggling to make ends meet and without sufficient money by the end of the week.

Given these pressures on grandparents, it has never been more important to ensure grandcarers across our state can properly support their family expenses and keep providing this vital care.

A WA Liberal Government will increase the Grandcarers Support Scheme payment from $1,000 per grandchild to $3,000 per grandchild each year.

We will also provide $300,000 per year for increased costs associated with running the support scheme.

This will allow Wanslea to maintain its counselling service and support groups, and help grandcarers navigate government support services as grandcarer numbers grow.

There will also be a dedicated full-time staff member allocated within the Department of Communities to aid Wanslea, and field enquiries from their client base to government agencies.

Western Australian grandcarers and those they care for deserve a government dedicated to ensuring they have the financial resources and support to thrive.

Only the WA Liberal Party is committed to assisting grandcarers raising our state’s next generation during the current cost of living crisis.