But, some young people do this, and much, much more. They’re called young carers.

They’re doing all the jobs their friends do, as well as jobs like cooking dinner, cleaning the house, giving medication, bathing and dressing their siblings, paying bills and taking people to appointments.

Young carers are aged between 5 and 25-years-old and play a significant caregiving role. It could be for their mum or dad, their siblings, or a grandparent, because they’re ageing, they have a disability or illness, a drug related addiction or a mental health challenge.

The challenge is many young carers don’t even realise they are one. What they do just feels normal or they don’t know life any other way. They often keep it to themselves and don’t ask for any help or support because they might be embarrassed or know that support’s available.

Looking out for your mates

It’s estimated that there’s at least one young carer in every classroom in Australia. Given the statistics, there is a high chance one of your mates is young carer. They might not always share what’s happening at home, but there are signs you can look out for.

Signs a mate might be a young carer

  • Quiet or private – they don’t tell you much about their home life or you never get invited over to visit.
  • Hard to hang out with – outside of school they’re often busy or unavailable without saying why.
  • More grown-up – they act and seem older than most of your other mates.
  • Stressed or worried – they seem anxious and concerned, often about family or the things they’ve got to do after school.
  • Feels guilty leaving home – they’re hesitant to hang out or say they don’t want to or can’t go to social events.
  • Carries big responsibilities – they seem to do a lot of jobs and tasks that your parents do at home.
  • Talks about caring duties – mentions cooking, cleaning, or looking after siblings or grandparents

What you can do

If you notice something that makes you think a friend might be a young carer, talk to your parents, teacher or your school’s wellbeing officer. Being a young carer can be tough but with the right support, they don’t have to do it alone and can be connected to supports and services, like Young Carers SA, to help them on their caring journey.