The Care Economy

It’s often said that kindness makes the world go round and whilst that may be true, perhaps saying care making the world go round, would be more accurate, at least in the literal sense. What we’re referring to is the care economy. The umbrella term that encompasses all jobs in the care industry, be it aged-care, mental health support, child care, disability support or social housing, Australia’s care economy is the dark horse revealed to be our nation’s largest industry. Collectively employing over 1.8 million Aussies and growing, the care economy affects us all, and in more ways than one.  

Despite being the country’s biggest employer, and a necessary developmental and wellbeing resource that’s entwined in all our lives, the care economy is in crisis. The pay is too low, the qualifications don’t measure up to real-world expectations/demand and the turnover rate is high. The result? An undercompensated, under-recognised work force (exacerbated by the fact that the workforce consists predominantly of women) stretched thin across public and private spheres, leaving millions of Aussies to miss out on the proper care they need. It’s something that can and needs to change. Something that starts with recognising and valuing paid and unpaid care work. Only then can we create a system that cares both in spirit and in name. It’s time to create resilient, accessible and equal support systems. It’s time to care for care workers and the people they care for: us, them and everyone.