Draft Carers' Strategy Action Plan

We want your feedback on a draft Action Plan to support unpaid or informal carers in homes and communities across New Zealand.

Carers are family, whānau, aiga, and individuals, who provide care for someone who needs additional assistance with their everyday living because of a disability, health condition, illness, or injury. 

Led by MSD, a new draft 'rolling' Action Plan has been developed in partnership with the Carers Alliance and an Advisory Group of organisations representing the needs of carers. Unlike previous Action Plans, the rolling Action Plan will not have an expiry date. It has been designed to help address the challenges faced by carers over time and can be built on and updated regularly.

Have your say

Your feedback on the draft Action Plan is important. It will help inform the final Action Plan, including how Government progresses the immediate deliverables and how we can build on these to make progress towards outcomes in the medium to long term.

There are multiple ways to provide feedback. You are welcome to provide feedback through one or more of the following channels, according to which best suits you.

Consultation will be open until 12 February 2026.

Submissions

You can send a submission by:

• email or a scanned version of your submission (or just a comment) to CAPsubmissions@msd.govt.nz
• mail to:
  • Carers' Strategy Action Plan
  • Ministry of Social Development
  • P.O. Box 1556
  • Wellington 6140
  • New Zealand

Survey

You can fill out a survey hosted on MSD’s consultation platform.

Engagement sessions

We are running two different types of engagement sessions:

• Community workshops – run by groups across the motu. The list below will be added to and updated during the consultation period so keep an eye out for session in your area. Details of the community workshops will be added here when they become available.

Next Steps

A summary of engagement will be published on MSD’s website. All responses will be anonymised, but a list of submitters may be provided. 

Use and release of information

Information provided through this consultation will help us develop advice to Ministers and finalise the Carers’ Strategy Rolling Action Plan.

It is important you understand that people can request access to submissions under the Official Information Act 1982. Please make it clear in the beginning of your submission if you don’t want your submission to be released, which parts you don’t want released and why. We may get in touch with you if there is an Official Information Act request. If you have any questions about this, please contact CAPsubmissions@msd.govt.nz.

Private information

The Privacy Act 2020 establishes certain principles with respect to the collection, use and disclosure of information about individuals by various agencies, including MSD. Any personal information you supply to MSD in the course of making a submission will only be used for the purpose of assisting in the development of advice in relation to this consultation, for contacting you about your submission, or to advise you of the outcome of the consultation, including any next steps. We may also use personal information you supply in the course of making a submission for other reasons permitted under the Privacy Act (e.g. with your consent, for a directly related purpose, or where the law permits or requires it). Please clearly indicate in your submission if you do not wish your name, or any other personal information, to be included in any summary of submissions that MSD may publish.