CARERS PROGRAM

Supports for Young Carers

Young Carers are children or youth who have full caring responsibilities or who may share the caring responsibilities with an adult or another young child or  person. Young Carers usually have more responsibilities than other young people their age. But each young carer is an individual, with unique circumstances. For young Carers there may or may not be others in the home to help them and they may be overlooked by health professionals as the focus is to the adult who needs treatment.

Some responsibilities young carers may have include:

  • Cook, clean, shop, provide personal care
  • Provide supervision (particularly if the caring situation includes a mental health problem or a cognitive disability)
  • Provide assistance throughout the night
  • Take responsibility (partly or entirely) for management of the family's finances
  • Take regular responsibility for care of younger siblings, often unsupervised
  • Carry much emotional, social and economic strain of their family's situation

SANE Australia website article on being a young carer


The Young Carers Program is a free service of Carers NSW that provides emotional support, information & referrals to practical supports such as respite camps, activity days, tutoring and much more, counselling (individual or group) and opportunities for young carers to be involved in developing leadership & media skills and raising awareness about young carers at school, TAFE and university.

Contact the Young Carer Team at Carers NSW on 1800 242 636  Email: yc@carersnsw.org.au  Web: www.youngcarersnsw.org.au


The Young Carer Bursary Programme

The aim of the Young Carer Bursary Programme is to help relieve the financial pressure on young carers to undertake part-time employment, in addition to managing their educational and caring responsibilities. The provision of a bursary increases the opportunity for young carers to remain in, or return to, education or training leading to improved employment opportunities and long-term finances.

A bursary is similar to a grant. It is not a loan, and so does not need to be repaid. If you are eligible you could receive an Australian Government Bursary of $3,000. For more information go to: www.youngcarers.net.au


CaringKids

Is a registered charity that provides support to young people aged 18 years or under who undertake a significant caring role (the primary carer or alternate secondary carer) for a family member who has a disability or chronic illness. To be eligible for a service, young carers must live in South East or South West Sydney and be experiencing financial hardship.

A referral can be completed by either the young carer or family member, relative or friend or professionals (with consent and involvement of the young carer and their family). Referral Form to download

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Last Updated: 03 December, 2020
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