A young carer is someone under the age of 25 who provides unpaid care and support for family members or friends affected by a disability, chronic or mental illness, substance dependency, or frail age. 

The person you care for might be a parent, sibling, grandparent, partner, friend or your own child. It’s estimated that 1 in 10 young people in Australia are carers, so if you’re a young carer remember that you’re not alone.

What’s it like to be a young carer? 

The life of a young carer varies widely, depending on the abilities of the person they are caring for. Some young carers might help their family out by looking after their siblings for a couple of hours a week, while some might provide around-the-clock care. 

Caring tasks could include things like administering medication, changing dressings, repositioning, helping with feeding, showering and bathing, cooking and cleaning, running errands, providing emotional support, and more. 

Caring can be a super positive experience, where young carers learn important life skills like compassion, kindness, communication, and empathy by caring for a family member or friend. But being a young carer isn’t always easy. It can impact your education, social life, employment, and mental and physical health. It might make you feel a whole lot of things like happy, sad, angry, or confused. If you’re finding it difficult to keep your life in balance as a young carer, remember that this is a common experience and support is available. 

Check out this video to hear the real-life stories of some young carers. 

Getting support 

Thankfully, there are amazing organisations out there like Young Carers Network and Little Dreamers, who lend a helping hand to young carers by offering stuff like bursaries, social events, support programs (e.g. tutoring, peer support, and school holiday programs) and more! 

If you’re a young carer you can also get support from the government. Depending on your eligibility, you could also be able to access carer’s payments from Centrelink (the social assistance program run by the government). Check out more about your eligibility here. 

If you are a carer and need support or just someone to talk to, you can also call Kids Helpline or Carers Australia.