Young Carers
Children do not choose to become young carers
Children are often carers for their ill or disabled parents and siblings, markedly impacting on their own health, personal development and education. In South Australia there are approximately 14,800 young people under 18 providing adult caregiving roles with 600 under the age of 9. There are young carers as young as 5. They are the hidden group.
Young carers perform practical tasks such as cooking, housework, shopping as well as providing medication. They also provide physical care, emotional support and help to care for their siblings if the main care recipient is a parent. Being a young carer can have a great impact on their development as a young person. They may look like any other child but hey can lead very different lives. For many they play the adult role in their families. Their caring role may also affect their health, social life and self confidence and there are many reports of them being subjected to bullying at school and through social media. Their education suffers as a result of them having to miss out on school and they try to juggle homework in between their caring commitments.
Young carers need your support, they need our support too. Here are just a few stories of young carers who have done an amazing job and all for the love of their parents or siblings.
Young Carers share their stories......
My first laptop - Young Carer Skye is aged 16 and cares for her mother who had a stroke and requires assistance with most things. She also suffers from depression.....Read more
Passion for photography | Ella is 14 years old and is a sibling carer for her older brother. She is registered as a young carer with Raw Energy and is a great support to her family. Ella has protected and cared for her brother since she was 8 years old.....Read more
Young Carer gets a helping hand - Hunter, now aged 14 has been caring for his mother since he was 6 years old. He frequently missed out on schooling as a result of his caring role.......Hunter
Mica was "blown away"! Mica is a young carer aged 15 years and helps care for his brother aged 6 who has Down Syndrom and Autism........Mica
Young Carer Casey, supporting her siblings. Casey aged 12 years is registered with SA Country Carers as a young carer. She helps cares for her two brothers.......Casey
New touch notebooks for the twins. Twin brother and sister, Brandon and Renee care for their parents who have ongoing physical and mental health needs. They also have two younger siblings and they also provide some care for them as well.......Brandon and Renee
A holiday for the whole family. Young carers, Sally and Samantha, aged 10 and 11 help care for their mother who has Lupas, an auto immune disease and their father who had a heart attack. They also assist in the care of their younger sister who has Autism and suffers from Chronic Epilepsy......... Sally and Samantha