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Support for young carers

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If you are aged 25 or under and care for someone, you may be a young carer.

If you regularly care for someone in your family or community, you might be a young carer.

Take a moment to think about your everyday routines:

Do you help someone shower, get dressed, take their medicine, or get to appointments?
Do you do the shopping, cleaning, or cooking because someone else can’t?
Do you listen when things are tough or help keep the peace at home?
Have you missed school, sleep, or time with friends because of your caring role?

If you said ‘yes’ to any of these, there’s a good chance you’re a young carer.

What help is there?

Support through Carer Gateway may include:

Counselling or coaching to talk things through
Peer groups where you can meet other young carers
Time for you to give you a break
Help with school, training, or study support
Tailored support packages, which can include help with things like transport, equipment, or education costs
Emergency resources for peace of mind
Information and referrals to other services, including help applying for the Young Carer Bursary and more

You don’t have to carry it all on your own, support is here, and it’s FREE.

More information

Who is this for?

Young carers are people under 25 who provide unpaid care and support to someone close to them. It might be a family member, friend, or someone else you care about who’s living with:

disability
a chronic or serious medical condition
mental health challenges
alcohol or other drug dependency
frailty due to ageing.

You don’t need to live with, be related to, or provide full-time care to the person you are supporting.

What do I need to do?

Call Carer Gateway on 1800 422 737. It’s free, confidential, and there’s always someone ready to listen and help.

Or Request a call back here

How much will it cost?

It’s free.

Courtney's story

Courtney’s journey probably started like yours. She was juggling school, emotions, and responsibilities. Today, she draws on her own experiences to support other young carers across Victoria through Carer Gateway.