Australia’s young carers account for a substantial number of the 2.7 million unpaid carers in Australia — more than 270,000 are under the age of 25. Many of them are teenagers, or younger, grappling with circumstances that would challenge an accomplished adult.
Unpaid carers look after a family member or friend with a disability, mental illness, chronic condition, terminal illness, alcohol or other drug problem, or someone who is frail aged. Young carers may be providing complex, time-consuming care for a parent, partner, sibling, child, relative or friend.
The intensity and time-consuming nature of the caring role can often negatively impact on the experiences of young carers relative to their non-carer peers.
Many young carers emphasise that caring is a positive experience. However, research clearly indicates that, when inadequately supported, their own mental health and wellbeing can be seriously affected.
Research from the Department of Social Services has found that, due to the demand of their caring role, young primary carers (those who provide the most substantial amount of care):
- Appear to have the highest incidence of negative impacts
- 48 percent compared to 38 percent of all primary carers
- Were weary and lacked energy
- 47 percent compared to 36 percent of all primary carers
- Frequently felt angry and resentful
- 15 percent compared to 11 percent of all primary carers
- Have interrupted sleep
- 62 percent compared to 48 percent of all primary carers
- One or more impacts
- 61 percent compared to 50 percent of all primary carers
Many young carers are caring for more than one person. They are often from single parent families and can find themselves taking on a caring role for a parent, as well as taking on a parenting role for other family members when the parent is unable to.
Their families face significant financial challenges and their caring role frequently isolates them socially from their peers.
In some cases, their lives have been impacted by domestic violence and other family conflicts. They often have a disability of their own and are subjected to great emotional and psychological pressures. Their families face significant financial challenges and their caring role frequently isolates them socially from their peers. All these factors not only impact on their education, but on every aspect of their lives and their future opportunities.
Carers Australia administers the Young Carer Bursary program, which offers 12-month scholarships of $3,000 to eligible young carers who are currently studying. Applications for the Bursary provide rich insights into why young carers experience negative outcomes. Their stories illustrate the huge impact of caring for someone, especially doing so at a young age. Here are just a few examples of the caring situation many young carers find themselves in:
- A 12-year-old male who is the only carer for both his mother (who has bipolar, a chronic illness and vision impairment) and his sister (who has developmental delays). The young carer also has a learning and physical disability and is being treated for depression and anxiety. His caring role is 31-40 hours per week.
- A 16-year-old male who is the main carer for his mum (who has a mental illness and autism), his brother (who has autism) and his dad (who has an alcohol and drug addiction). The young carer has a learning, psychiatric, sensory disability himself and cares in total 40+ hours per week.
- A 17-year-old female of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander background who cares 40+ hours per week for her mum who has bipolar, schizophrenia and borderline personality disorder. The young carer also has a psychiatric disability herself.
- A 14-year-old who is the only carer for her mum (who has a physical disability, chronic illness, borderline personality disorder, depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder and who self-harms) and for her little sister (who has attention deficit disorder). The young carer has also experienced anxiety and depression.
- A 15-year-old male who is the main carer for his mum (40+ hours per week) who has borderline personality disorder, drug and alcohol problems, and self-harms. The young carer also has a physical disability.
- A 14-year-old male of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander background who is the only carer (40+ hours per week) for his mum who has a physical disability, bipolar, depression, a drug or alcohol problem, and who has attempted suicide. The young carer has also experienced depression and has a learning disability.
This year’s National Carers Week campaign ran from 14 – 20 October and included the launch of the Young Carers Network – a website for young carers to share their stories and opinions, attend live webinars and learn new skills.
In our lifetimes each of us is likely to either be or need a carer, so taking care of carers is really about taking care of our families, our friends and ourselves.
The launch took place in a local Canberra school, an event that was mirrored in schools across the country, so that young carers could be acknowledged and celebrated among their peers. By educating non-carers on the caring role and the efforts and achievements of those who may be in their midst, we aim not just to raise awareness of young carers, but also to promote their responsibilities and efforts as something to be celebrated and not hidden.
In our lifetimes each of us is likely to either be or need a carer, so taking care of carers is really about taking care of our families, our friends and ourselves.
Photo by Quinten de Graaf on Unsplash
