Read young carer stories

Most people think of young caring as a duty, or responsibility that the carer had no say in. I think of it as much more than that. Not only does it influence your entire life, views, values, and the way you treat people, but it teaches you skills that can only be learned from experience.

I care for my older brother, who is currently 20 years old and has Aspergers and ADHD. We live with our mum and my other brother, who is 18. Most of my responsibilities include making food, giving medications, and entertaining him when he is bored.

He is generally very controlling of our household, and it is often hard to catch a break. He also becomes enraged easily, and takes it out on a member of my family, even when not meaning to.

I try not to think of caring as a hardship, but little things like not being able to invite friends over, or looks from other people as we walk down the street, make me wonder how my life would be different without the caring role.

Being a young carer, I feel, has made me more responsible, accepting and empathetic towards other people’s problems.

My name is Izzy, I am 17 years old and I am a Clinical Support Worker.

I am the second eldest in my family. I live at home with my mum, little brother and baby sister. For the past 3 years I have helped my mum who is a single parent care for my baby sister and help parent my younger brother.

My baby sister suffers from a life limiting condition called “Pontocerebellar Hypoplasia Type 1b”. She is 1 of 6 in the world and she is the only one in Australia. Her condition means she is non mobile, non-verbal and suffers from seizures along with involuntary movements etc.

She requires daily suctioning, dozens of medications, 24/7 oxygen, Mic-Key button feeds and much more. Both my mum and I will care for her throughout the day and night whilst we also take care of my little brother.

My baby sister is frequently in hospital so when this happens mum stays with her while I stay home and take care of my brother.

My name is Ashleigh. I am thirteen years old and my five-year-old sister has autism. I have learned a lot of things from her like what things she needs extra help with. I help her with things like communicating and getting dressed. I do it in a way that seems like a game so that she is having fun but also learning.

A lot of things make her feel uncomfortable and I try to make her feel more comfortable whether that is playing a game with her or taking her outside. She can get upset very easily and I try to give her comfort toys that she likes to help calm her.

I am still learning to help my sister and still get frustrated with her sometimes but I am getting to understand her more and more each day. Watching her work hard on her therapy homework encourages me to try harder at things that are hard for me to do.

I think that having a sibling with autism is an experience that teaches you so much and I have realized how talented people with autism are. My sister has an incredible memory. She is good at helping me find things when I don't know where I left them. I love my sister.

My name is Emily, I am 25 years old and I care for my older brother Jamie. Jamie was born with a genetic condition called xxyy48, which impacts him physically and intellectually. Jamie and I have always been close. I understand him really well when most others don't.

Jamie has lived with me for around 7 years. We now live together with my partner Dylan, and my new baby Evie. I am currently unemployed, and will remain so until Jamie becomes more independent. This is a goal we are working towards with the help of his NDIA funding.

Jamie has support two days a week from paid support workers to increase his social participation and increase his life skills. The rest of the days of the week support is provided by me. I take care of the household work and cooking for Jamie, and I also help him to manage his money and bills. I assist him with various errands and attend all medical appointments.

Jamie has required numerous surgeries on his legs and feet to keep him mobile. During the recovery periods I assist with his mobility and self-care needs like showering and dressing. I coordinate most things in Jamie's life.

Caring for Jamie is challenging and rewarding. With the recent birth of my daughter, things have been tricky at home, but we are slowly getting used to the changes that we are making. It is hard to juggle being a new mother and a young carer, but I love that we are such a close family. To see Jamie grow and learn new skills is such a great feeling. I want nothing more than for him to lead a happy life!

Hi. My name is James and I am a young carer. I care for my older brother, who has autism spectrum disorder. My duties usually involve staying around the house with him to keep him entertained and give him company as he has no friends outside of home. I also have to take care of him by making sure he remembers to eat, drink, and take his medicine every day.

Unfortunately, he is quite controlling and mum has lost all control over how the house runs due to giving him a bit of control over the years that has ended up with him being over controlling and using it to his advantage, in a way similar to tyranny.

Luckily I have just finished college and will be moving on to further study next year so I will be able to have a break from my horrible home life. I look to study to be a community worker so I can help other people who are dealing with my situation so that they can have the help they need since I wasn't given this help throughout my years as a young carer.

I also want to be able to help other people, not just the people with caring roles, but as many people as I can, so that everyone has a fair start to life and can follow their own path.

My name is Arzu Zaiba Hattam 13 years old and I am a career to my mother. My mother has type 1 diabetes (an Autoimmune disease) and although it may not be a debilitating disease it can still be very difficult for her and when things impact mum in a major way they impact all of us.

My mum often has to test her blood’s sugar levels and inject herself with insulin. My mother goes through mass amounts of stress and this can be dangerous for her so I must be there to support her by helping out around the house and making sure my siblings are taken care of.

My role as a career is to help mum when needed whether it be helping with her medicines or helping around the house I try to help. I don’t have to do much around the house because mum does most of it but sometimes when things like laundry need to be done I am able to step in and help.

I have two younger siblings that I live with, a ten month old and a five-year-old, I love each of them to bits but sometimes it can get a bit difficult for mum so I have to make sure they are not hassling her, to be honest they can get a little difficult for me too but I know that mum has important thing to do.

My name is Alisha, I am 17 and live in Victoria. One unique thing about me is that I play the violin and I am a scout.

I have been caring for my brother for 10 years. My brother requires care because he has autism. I have to care for my brother because I live with him and I am the eldest of 6 children. My dad works full time, so we don't get to see him. And my mum also has a medical condition.

My responsibilities include helping with my other 4 younger siblings. By feeding, and entertaining them. However, I also have to miss out on things. Because I am scared to leave them all behind. Just like me I’d imagine other young carers would also have to do many more house chores.

A good day caring for my brother looks like, no meltdowns, it’s calm and everyone is happy. Being away from my brother makes me feel anxious.

Being a carer has changed my life because it has taught me life is what we have and making it how we want it may sometimes not happen. Because of my caring role I am unable to participate in scout things as much as my friends can. Being a carer has taught me to love what I have.

I would cope better with my caring role if I could have more time to myself. And to be able to do homework without anyone coming to me and asking me to help them with something.

I would like others to realise that you just need to look for the bright side when you are feeling down. And things can always get better. My piece of advice to my fellow young carers is to just keep it up and that you are all amazing.

Hey, my name is Daphne and I'm 16. Something about me is that I want to write music that people can connect with and feel but also be able to dance and move along to. I have been caring for my mother for 5 years. My mother requires care because she has Multiple Sclerosis (MS), which affects her nervous system but mainly her legs.

I have to care for my mum because I get home earlier than my dad does, and have holidays because I'm currently a student. Although I love what I do and I love my mum, I didn't always think I would be a young carer, it just suddenly dawned on me that I would have to look after my mum and the house.

My responsibilities include doing the family washing, cooking and cleaning. However, I also have to clean up after mum if she has an accident, like falling. Just like me I’d imagine other young carers would also have to clean the house and make sure the space is easily accessible.

A good day caring for my mum is not being interrupted when I'm trying to study. A bad day caring for my mum is being interrupted to do things that 'normal' people would do. Being away from my mum makes me feel nervous, as I don't know if today is a good day and if she will be able to do everything by herself. Or if it was a bad day and when I come home I will be heavily relied upon.

Being a carer has changed my life because I can sometimes feel more stressed if I have due dates coming up and having fully completed the task. But I'm also grateful for the responsibility and organisation it has given me. Because of my caring role I am unable to freely go places with friends over holidays, as I don't want to be too far away in case anything happens and she is home alone. My worst fear is that something bad will happen and myself or dad aren't there to help her.

Being a carer has taught me to take responsibility for my actions and to listen to how other people say things and not necessarily the words they say. To be able to understand a person without them having to tell you how they feel. I would cope better with my caring role if I didn't feel so worried and stressed if something was to go wrong, how that is going to impact my life and how I'm feeling.

I would like others to realise that although sometimes we may feel alone, and pressure on us. That the stress may start to build, we will always love the person we care for and wouldn't change the life we had. That our lives have shaped us and given us skills we can use when we are no longer caring.

My piece of advice to my fellow young carers is that you are an important member in someone else's life. That your presence is needed and valued, and although you may start to stress out of think that it’s over bearing. You are strong enough to get through the tough times that life will give to us.

Hi I was 5 years old when my brother was born and about a year and a half later he was diagnosed with autism.

My parents picked up when my brother was very young that there was something different about him, and because my brother was different, my life was different. For example,
• I was teased and bullied in primary school
• I was dragged from one therapy appointment to another, because my brother had sometimes up to 10 appointments each week
• I have to do more chores at home than my friends
• I help look after him, sometimes I get him dressed, help get his breakfast, sometimes I make his dinner
• I felt that life revolved around my brother and in the early days, for a 6 and 7 year old, it was hard.

But sometimes he is like every other brother – he likes to annoy me, take my stuff and call me silly names. There are times we play together and its loads of fun.

Other times it’s a bit tougher, like the time he ran out of the house to look at the neighbour’s Christmas lights.

There have been times where I was the only one that could calm him down by pushing him on the swing and giving him high 5’s.

I am 16 now so we have been around each other for over a decade. He is my brother and I wouldn’t have him any other way.

I can hardly remember what life was before 2009. I was only 10 at the time, and after that caring was all I knew.

Here’s the specifics; my mother injured her spine at work and caused permanent nerve damage. She had to have major surgery, where three of her spinal discs were replaced with metal ones, and then fused to the bone. She cannot feel three fingers on her right side, and has constant pins and needles. Due to the location of this injury she also gets incredible headaches and migraines. My Dad likes to describe it like this; you're at a music concert, let's say ACDC. You've had a bit to drink so you can't focus correctly. You go to the bathroom but can still hear the music, ebbing and pulsing because that's the nature of rock, you can still hear the kerfuffle of the crowd, even though its slightly muffled. Then someone you know walks in, and starts demanding your attention. They bang on your stall door, yelling and clambering and screaming. Sometimes they go away but they return frequently. That's the kind of situation in my mum's head, the pain is the rock concert, the flare ups the person, and my mum is the one inside the bathroom stall just trying to think clearly and get on with her business. She also deals with a number of mental illnesses that she doesn't like to explain, but boy is it hard to deal with that some days.

Now imagine a boxing ring. But it's me and my mum. Because of what she deals with every day her muscles are bigger, and because of her emotional turmoil her gloves are tougher. And I’m the skinny unprepared one, bruised already from last night's match. She throws the first punch; all the things I need to do tonight on top of what I already had planned. The other fist, I’m never good enough for her. She leaps forward; her scripts have run out so I’ve only got 10mins to get down to the pharmacy before it shuts.

And then there's the other side, when she has a particularly bad flare up, and she's in bed for several days on end, crying. And there’s nothing I can do to ease that pain for her. Even if I go in there and give her a cuddle or a plush toy (which is usually my go to, because if I can't be there she'll have something), talk to her, give her a glass of orange juice or something, she'll still be in pain.

I imagine that other young carers, some whom I’ve met and some who I haven't met yet, deal with all sorts of emotional baggage. Rather than just going home to do homework, chill out and maybe do some chores, we have to deal with next level stuff. I know there are young carers who deal with so much more than I and I think they're amazing for that, in comparison I feel like such a complainer. That's something I also recognise, my caring role is normal for me, so I feel like the awesome work that YAC does is wasted on my brother and I, but it's also something I am so so grateful for. There have been days when if I didn't have that kind of support base I don’t know where I’d be.

My piece of advice to my fellow young carers is don't be afraid to reach out. YAC and Raw Energy know their stuff. And don't be afraid to contact other young carers too - they are encyclopaedias of knowledge. So know this, you can put yourself first, and you are appreciated – even if who you care for doesn’t show it.

Hi! My name is Angela and I'm 15 years old. One unique thing about me is my appreciation for aged people and babies.

I have been caring for my identical twin sister for 12 years. My sister requires care because she has a physical and intellectual disability named Cerebral Palsy. She is completely wheelchair-bound. I have Cerebral Palsy too, but only mildly.

My responsibilities for my sister include changing, feeding and generally looking after her. She needs constant 24/7 care. My Mum and I mainly care for my sister, as my Dad is getting older and struggles to do the things he used to do. I try to take over Mum's jobs as I can tell when she's had enough. I also run errands, such as washing, cooking and cleaning whenever I have spare time. I worry when I'm not around my sister or family as I need them and they need me just as much. I feel very guilty when I take time to myself so I can't help my sister. Because I feel I need to help all of the time, I always end up taking over my sister trying to be independent. She gets frustrated when I don't let her be her own person and be independent.

Just like me I’d imagine other young carers would also have to fit in time for study and school. I struggle to find time for homework. Although I miss a lot of days of school due to appointments for both my sister and I, I manage to catch up during school. But at home, I don't find time to do homework or extra study.

A good day caring for my sister is when my sister is happy and is in no pain. My sister is constantly in pain after having 5 surgeries for her hips. Therefore, being in pain causes her to be very frustrated and angry. I understand that she trusts us not to get mad at her, but it isn't fair. A bad day caring for my sister is when my sister is sad and in pain. I love my sister more than the world but sometimes it gets frustrating.

Because of my caring role I am unable to feel stress free. Every time something goes wrong, I automatically think of the worst. I come from a big family with older siblings, but I feel as though they don't understand what I do for my sister. They think that I shouldn't help as much, but it's not that easy. Being a carer has changed my life in every way possible. Overall I have had to mature before my peers. I'm so thankful that I have had the experience of being a carer and helping others. I would cope better with my caring role if my sister could have the same chances at life that I have. I would cope better if I could talk to others and make friends.

Being away from my sister makes me feel like the worst sister in the world. I feel guilty for leaving her with someone and not being there for her if she needs me. I care for my sister because I love her and want to see her blossom into an independent young woman. I'm not afraid to admit that I think it would be so beneficial for my Mum, my sister and I if she moved into a disability home when she gets older - somewhere we know she will be looked after and have the chance to go out and have fun and talk to others. Being a carer has taught me to appreciate people's help and that no matter what kind of day I'm having, there is always someone having a worse one.

I would like others to realize that they are not alone. I know that sometimes it feels like your the only one going through this, but there are so many young carers out there that are struggling just like you. Try to keep a positive outlook on life and realize that things happen for a reason. My piece of advice to my fellow young carers is to always talk to someone. Let it all out, so that it doesn't get bottled up and eventually explode. It's always important to talk.

Thank you for reading my story and keep smiling :)

Hey There! My name is Jess, I am based in NSW, I’m 15 and I have been a young carer for all my life :) I have a strong passion for music and love playing the guitar. I also love gaming.

My Mum was a few months pregnant with me when my Dad had the accident. Skiing. He was out for the weekend when he slipped on the ice, fell, and broke the top two vertebrae in his spine, leaving him a quadriplegic.

My entire life I have grown up with helping out my Dad and making day to day life as easy as possible, whether this means daily meals or helping out around the house I am always there to help out. My Dad and myself get along extremely well, our relationship is super strong, unbreakable. It's just Dad and I at home now but we handle it and get through.

Sometimes as an only child it becomes semi challenging to juggle school, social and family life, especially moving from each parent’s home but with the support I receive from my parents and the assurance that Dad will be fine whilst I'm gone, I get through.

My Dad has the best personality and is always in high spirits, we are constantly having great laughs and making new memories. Hardly ever a dull moment between us. Just like many other carers and young carers, it’s not a job or a chore to look after people, we do it out of genuine love :)

Being a young carer has literally been a part of me forever, and because of this I've gained independence and experience in helping others.

My name is Ava, I am 15 years old and live in New South Wales. One unique thing about me is that I love lots of sports, including basketball, netball and sailing. I also love scouts and camping.

I have been caring for my brother for 9 years. My brother requires care because he has Cerebral Palsy, a visual impairment and Epilepsy which combined means he needs 24/7 care. He goes to the same mainstream school as I did with other normal kids his age, but is in a special-needs class with other kids that have similar disabilities.

My responsibilities include simple things such as dressing him in the morning if my mum is unable to, looking after him after school, helping him with his homework and helping him in the bathroom. However, as he has Epilepsy so I also have to do a first-aid course every 4 year so that I know what I have to do if he has a fit or something else happens to him. Just like me I’d imagine other young carers would also have to help with day to day tasks that we take for granted such as dressing ourselves and bathing ourselves.

On a good day when I am looking after my brother he is obedient, kind and helpful. But on a bad day he is disrespectful, angry and can sometimes be a little bit aggressive. Because of my caring role I am unable to hang out with my friends as much as I would like to and because me or one of my family members is always with him and he is unable to do things like walking long distances it can even be difficult to do things with the family.

Being a carer has changed my life because I am more responsible and I know how to deal with situations that other people my age don't know deal with. I would cope better with my caring role if a break every now and then to go away for a weekend with my family or even just a day trip. Being away from my brother makes me feel anxious because I don't always know that the person taking care of him knows how to deal with certain situations.

I have to care for my brother because it is the right thing to do. I have grown up caring for him and I know him better than anyone else does. Being a carer has taught me to be strong and patient when things don't go my way or life throw something unexpected in the way and I have to deal with it. I would like others to realise that they are capable to do more things than they think they can. My piece of advice to my fellow young carers is be strong and don't give up on yourself or the person you are caring for.

Hi, I’m a 14-year-old boy from Tasmania and I’m here to tell you my story. My journey started back when I was around 4 years old when my dad was diagnosed with lung cancer. The following months were hard for my family, finding the cash to pay for his treatment while trying to afford to feed 6 people including my younger brother who has autism to whom I care for.

A couple of years later my youngest brother was born but little did we know that as we would welcome one life to the world we would mourn the loss of another as sadly dad lost his battle. After that, life went well for about 3 years before my youngest brother who would of been roughly 3 years old was rushed to hospital after a rash had shown up. We all thought it was an allergic reaction to something he had ate till the tests came back and he was rushed to hospital.

Later that month we found out he had been diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic Leukaemia and that he had to spend the next couple of years hooked up to machines in hospital, those few years went past really slowly and no one quite knew what was happening since we were still young (me being about grade 3).

After he returned home we found out about all these organisations dedicated to help out families of those who had been affected by cancer, all those amazing foundations have helped me with my education and recently I’ve been able to go to New Caledonia thanks to the help of one of those organisations. I’ve also made heaps of new friends with people who have dealt with similar situations and everyone helps everyone out.

These days I help out by caring for my 2 younger brothers and my mum. I help out whenever I can whether that be simple tasks like washing the dishes or cleaning the house all the way to going out and splitting wood or feeding the horse and taking the dogs for walks but yeah anyway that’s my story.

Hi, I am Lucinda. I live in country South Australia. I am 16 and care for my sister who has multiple disabilities, including autism and an intellectual disability.

We are homeschooled and I love it. I do however have to spend 24/7 with my sister which can be challenging but also rewarding. I help as much as I can with the house hold chores, including cooking and help mum with my sister's learning. She engages better when I am helping her with learning and mum and I come up with some creative ways to teach her.

My passion and my escape from everything is my two miniature ponies. I love horses and love the connection and relationship you can have with them. They are my therapy and my happy place. I volunteer one day a week at a private horse sanctuary and have been volunteering with horses for several years. I am not into riding so much, but to help horses heal and gain trust again.

I am studying equine psychology as one day I would love to take my two ponies to nursing homes and hospitals as animal assisted therapy. My sister loves the ponies, but she is more into My Little Ponies and she is almost 14. It is only the 4 of us in our little family as we don't have extended family. I have an elderly Poppy, but Mum has to help care for him too. We rely on each other and have a very close bond.

I wish Young Carer's were more regarded in the community as they do a lot and go through a lot. Being in the country, I miss out on a lot of Young Carer activities, and I wish there were more funding for carers like myself. If I could share or give some advice to other Young Carer's, it would be that you are not alone and life can be challenging, but never give up.

My name is Kelsie, I am 16 and live in New South Wales. One thing you should know about me is that I love to spend time outside. Additionally, I LOVE travelling and meeting new people.
I have been caring for my sister for 8 years. My sister requires care because she has an intellectual disability. I have to care for my sister because her disability impacts her daily life. We live in the same household so it affects mine as well. However, I also have to supervise her at school and be her representative with teachers. Just like me I’d imagine other young carers would also have to speak on behalf of the person they care for me and manage tasks at home.

Being away from my sister makes me feel stressed and worried. Being a carer has changed my life because I've matured quickly and become an independent person. Because of my caring role I am unable to dedicate as much time to my studies as I need. I am usually preoccupied with doing stuff around the house and I don't have this time to complete schoolwork.

Being a carer has taught me how to solve problems and be resilient in the face of challenges. I would cope better with my caring role if I had the chance to have time by myself. Whether this is a day or a few hours. It would give me the opportunity to calm down and focus on important tasks at hand. To redirect my energy towards personal goals.

I would like others to realise that being a carer shouldn't hold you back from pursuing anything in life. We need to spend time helping the person we care for and we should focus energy towards following our dreams. Being a carer doesn't mean you can't achieve. My piece of advice to my fellow young carers is to try and live a balanced lifestyle. Prioritise caring on the same level as your own health, leisure and workload.

I’ve been my mum’s carer since I was 15. But even before that, I remember late night emergency room visits, and feeling more pressured to take on household responsibilities.

My mum has mental health issues, and as of February this year, was technically medically dead. See, for the past 18 months before February, mum had been having increasingly worse respiratory problems, to the point where she could not walk around the corner to the bus unaided. I remember going to the doctor multiple times, and our concerns being brushed off with ‘you should just exercise more’.

Then, in mid-February, at 3.30 in the morning, she yelled for me. We went to the emergency room that night, and my mum went into cardiac arrest induced by respiratory failure. She was resuscitated in a way that would not have been possible had we not been in the hospital.

I remember shutting down, so overloaded with panic and fear that all that would help was when my mind went numb. Because of this hospital visit, we learned that mum had a saddle pulmonary embolism, and that her right lung was only receiving 10% oxygen, just enough to keep the tissue alive. I was angry. For eighteen months we had fought to have doctors take her seriously, and it took her medically dying for it to work.

And here’s the bit that is less palatable for me to admit to. I resent my mother for the weight she puts on me. I resent that she will not seek help as long as I am present. But… That doesn’t mean I want her to die. The relief when I saw her alive in the hospital bed in the ER was like a tension snapping. My bones felt like jelly, and the tears came flooding.

Now, we’re eight months later, and the improvement is remarkable after the use of medication. However, with improvement, has meant that the reasons I was so willing to accept her refusal to seek other help, are gone. I resent her some days, I might hate her. And maybe that’s not the right thing to say, but…the number of times she calls me for something that she is capable of, but apparently unwilling to, within a single day is… abrasive at best.

I love my mum, but I hate her some days too. And, I know for my sake that I need to seek help, or make alternative arrangements for her care. But I have to ask. Is it right of me to abandon her like that, even for the sake of my own mental health? I don’t know the answer.

I’ve been running the household since I was 15, and it’s always set me apart from people. There’s a big difference between worrying about friend groups, or upcoming tests, and the constant aching dread of worrying about ‘will this be the week I have to choose between food or bills’. There have been times where I felt like I was suffocating under the weight of the responsibilities on my shoulders. There have been times I’ve needed to run to the sanctuary of my friends across state, and had a panic attack on the way back home from the weight returning to it’s place on my shoulders.

My name is Zoe, I am 14 and live in New South Wales. One unique thing about me is the fact that my family all think I am some kind of animal whisperer

I have been caring for my mum for 2 years. My mum requires care because she has Multiple Sclerosis and Ankylosing Spondylitis. I have to care mum because sometimes she needs it and all the time she needs people to be there for her. However, I also have to stay back from school some mornings if she is not feeling well. Just like me I’d imagine other young carers would also have to remind people of things and help them do certain things.

Being away from my mother makes me feel bad, like I am letting her down sometimes. Being a carer has changed my life because it has helped with my relationship with mum. Because of my caring role I am sometimes unable to have my own space and time.

Being a carer has taught me that life, time and your relationships with people are all vital to life! I would cope better with my caring role if my brothers could help sometimes

I would like others to realise that MS and AS are not just four letters, they are life impacting diseases. My piece of advice to my fellow young carers is, the people you are caring for are being vulnerable with you, and that should only make you love them more.

Greetings and Salutation! My name is Belinda, I am 16 and live in Queensland. One unique thing about me is my fascination of history and human behaviour.

I have been caring for my mother for 5 years. My mother requires care because she suffers from a diagnosed physical disability. This has now been broadly labelled as 'Chronic Pain Syndrome'. My little sister also has ASD and ADD. I have to care for my family because my ex-step-father could not handle the responsibilities of caring for his unwell wife (my mother) and his overwhelming daughter (my sister), so I was left to pick up the pieces after he left.

However, I also have to motivate my mother to keep studying to complete her bachelors. Her mind and intellect needs to be exercised just as much as her body. My 5-year-old sister also just received her diagnosis of ASD so this essentially means I am a young carer to two members in my household, where it is only my mother, my sister and I who live together. Just like me I’d imagine other young carers would also have to care for their younger siblings as well.

A good day caring for my family looks like not having to stress before and during an outdoor excursion and bad day caring for my family looks like not having enough time in a day. In all honesty, being away from my family makes me feel guilty.

Being a carer has changed my life because I have had to take on a much bigger responsibility than most of my peers have to. Because of my caring role I am unable to have as much time to complete assignments for school, and I am constantly missing content for exams from the time I have to dedicate to my family.

Being a carer has taught me to appreciate the small things in life. I would cope better with my caring role if I could have some independence when I get older, but hopefully things will be different in time.

I would like others to realise that you don't always have to succeed. You are allowed to fail, whether it be at school or in life, as long as you keep going and get through it. My piece of advice to my fellow young carers is each second is one moment in time, and eventually you will be in a different moment in time and you will get to where you want to be, as long as you are patient with time.

I wish everybody good luck in their journey as a young carer.
Belinda

My name is Casey, I am 18 and live in Queensland. One unique thing about me is that I have lots of experience with technology.

I have been caring for my mother for 13 years. My mother requires care because she has Parkinson's disease and is unable to perform most functions. I have to care for my mother because she is my family and I care about her. However, I also have to focus on school studies in order to pass. Just like me I’d imagine other young carers would also have to spend a lot of time caring for their family and friends.

A good day caring for my mother is when she is not feeling as sick as usual and not requiring much assistance. While a bad day caring for my mother is when she is feeling worse than usual and needing a lot more help.

Being away from my mother makes me feel extremely anxious due to the thought that if something bad were to happen to her, I would not be around to help her.

Being a carer has changed my life because spending a lot of my time helping out my mother meant not much time to build friendships. Because of my caring role I am unable to spend as much time with friends or doing my own thing.

Being a carer has taught me that when the going gets tough, all you can really do is keep going. I would cope better with my caring role if I could take a little bit of time off every now and then. My piece of advice to my fellow young carers is to never give up, you are doing a truly amazing thing for the people you are caring for.

Hi! I am Cristina and I am 22 years of age. I have been a young carer all my life providing special care to my parents. My parents both have disabilities in which my dad is blind and my mum is deaf.

Throughout my entire life, I have been a support and guide to my parents as I attend doctors’ appointments, do the weekly shopping and help out with the daily tasks. Growing up was difficult as I was not able to do things what most kids did, as I watched my friends be able to play sports and find their passion in life.

I had to grow up so fast and become a very mature person at a young age, due to having extra responsibilities. However, I am very appreciative of the life I have been given and I would not have it any other way as this is all I know. I have and still love providing care for my parents as they have ensured I take all opportunities that come my way.

I find myself always putting others before me, wanting to make sure everybody is happy. It is a trait that sometimes makes myself be vulnerable at times as people can take advantage of your caring nature. Do not let anyone change who you are as a person and achieve to be the best version of yourself.

My name is Chloe, I am 19 and live in Western Australia. One unique thing about me is I'm allergic to some plants haha.

I have been caring for my brother for 12 years. My brother requires care because he has autism, is very high needs and requires assistance with every day abilities. I have to care for my brother because he needs this assistance and my parents can't be there for him 24/7.

He can't do these daily activities on his own or be left by himself so the extra care and help is needed so in some regard I didn't have a choice, however I love him to death so of course I will do things to help where I can and allow our family to function as normal as possible. However, I also have to help with toilet duties / other personal care aspects.

It makes me anxious sometimes, knowing someone else is caring for him other than myself or my mum because we obviously know him best and know how to approach situations he deals with. Knowing he has to sometimes be left to someone else’s care does make us feel anxious and worry about him at times depending.

Being a carer has changed my life because it has taught me how much we take for granted in our everyday abilities in healthy bodies and it has taught me so much patience and understanding. Being a carer has taught me so much about patience and enjoying the simple things in life because seeing him so happy over the smallest things and just happy to be healthy and having a good day really brightens up all of our moods.

I would cope better with my caring role if I learned how to be a bit more patient and was better at multitasking haha. Sometimes I struggle to do the work and things I need to do when I have other responsibilities and worries on my mind regarding my brother.

I would like others to realise that life isn't always easy and you never truly know what other families and people may be going through. Everyone should treat each other kindly as you never know what goes on behind closed doors in every household and what goods and bads they have been through. As well as this I think it’s important to make the most of life and be so grateful that we are healthy and living and don't take for granted how lucky we are to be able to be carers and not need to be cared for ourselves personally.

My piece of advice to my fellow young carers is keep doing what you are doing! Because you are awesome and without you, the person you care for wouldn't be the person they are today! It takes a strong, patient and beautiful person to care for others, and you should always remind yourself that you are incredible!

Hello friends. My name is Mohammad and I’ve been a carer since my grandmother and grandfather lived with us. They both had terminal illness with my nan having Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma and died in 2013 and my pop had bowel cancer and died in 2010. I was only 10 then.

By the time they both passed, I had to be a carer and help my mum with my older sister who has bipolar, body dysmorphia and ADHD and is always suicidal. Then mum adopted my other sister who is also a troubled teen and has low self-esteem and is tremendously suicidal.

After all those years I had trouble with school and interacting with friends. Numerous times police would attend our property as my older sister would smash everything around the house while she has her attacks. I’m sad that mum had to pick up the pieces. It was totally impossible to concentrate and I became very isolated for some years before I was able to bring my friends home to hang out.

Since my older sister gave birth to a baby girl, mum had to think about our safety first and put my older sister on medication and rehabilitation. Now my niece is 3 and I feel safe and mum has been less stressed. She suffers from depression which escalates to severe migraines and vertigo. As it’s a huge responsibility for her to maintain her sanity and responsibility on her own, I step in and gave her my unconditional love and helped with chores and babysit my niece so mum can have respite.

From time to time, it’s been a long journey for me and I have stayed strong physically and mentally stable. I couldn’t ask for anything more or change my situation as I feel very proud and overwhelmed to provide the care and responsibility that I feel rewarded. Thanks to the young carers network and young bursary, I am able to have a life and tell my story.

It has been a rewarding experience to see my niece grow up and mum being less stressed. However, her health condition is not to great. The bad news is that I suffer from the same condition as mum. I suffer severe migraines myself and at times I couldn’t even get up for up to 2 days. Mum just soldiers on and I admire her for being so strong coping with all these misfortunes and I learn to be a stronger person. Again thank you for reading my story. I believe tomorrow will always be a better day.

My name is Breeanna, I am 17 and live in Western Australia. One unique thing about me is I care for others before I care for myself.

I have been caring for my brother for 7 years. My brother requires care because he has autism and global development delay.

I have to care for my brother because I live with him every day and it’s a way of supporting my mum when she is working.

My responsibilities include providing to his needs, assisting in situations and providing food. However, I also deal with his mental breakdowns which involves me making sure his safety is a priority.

Just like me I’d imagine other young carers would also have to deal with people staring at them in shops because a child is in a breakdown.

A good day caring for my brother looks like laughing, smiling and calm. A bad day caring for my brother looks like emotional, loud and disruptive.

Being away from my brother makes me feel anxious.

Being a carer has changed my life because its shown me what I really am made for. Being a carer has taught me this is what I love. Because of my caring role I am unable to make people understand the troubles I go through in life.

I would cope better with my caring role if I had more time in a day.

I would like others to realise that you’re not alone. My piece of advice to my fellow young carers is let them stare.

I am 17 years old and I have been a young carer for most of my life. I currently care for my brother and father with the help of my mother and older brother.

It started with my younger brother who was diagnosed with autism. As we are only a year apart I helped him at school when my family wasn't around. After two car accidents and spinal surgery gone wrong, my father went into a wheelchair permanently as a quadriplegic. This is when I officially took the title as a young carer.

Life isn't always easy caring for two people but I do get lots of support from my mother and older brother. I have so many ambitions for my future and I believe my role as a young carer has made me want them more and work harder. While yes sometimes I fall behind at school or get in a bad state of mind due to my caring role I would not change a thing.

Being a young carer has made me stronger mentally and my goal is to support other young people who are struggling to balance their carer life and everyday life as I have. Young carers have so much potential to do great things as we are naturally caring and wanting to help. I know these are great qualities to have and I don't know if I would have them if I wasn't a carer.

I am a year 12 student and also have a large responsibility looking after my brother who has autism. I live at home with my mum, brother and myself, so she relies on me a lot to take him to and from school, and take care of him after some school days, and other times during the weekend. We have a very close bond and I feel like I understand him more than most people. He is absolutely hilarious and my favourite person on the planet. I believe from my close relationship with my brother I have grown into a more patient and strong person, and I would never ask my life to be any different.

Growing up you learn something new every day. Being the oldest child and only girl, it is evident that I should support my family. My dad had a very severe accident at work just under two years ago now. I help him all the time.

It’s sometimes hard for me to juggle all this and study. Sometimes I feel overwhelmed, but knowing I’m helping my dad makes me feel good on the inside. My dad is a very hardworking man, he worked hard his entire life, and unfortunately he got injured at the age of 42.

We sometimes miss out on fun activities due to his injuries, but we always improvise. God is with us. I at times feel so good after helping my dad. I help him with very different things. It brings us closer together.

We get a few giggles out of my dad, and when he worked many hours before his injury, I really didn’t spend much time with him at all and hardly spent any time with him. So positive things have happened since his injury.

I love my dad, he’s fun, got older much earlier than he should have. I try my best to maintain my studies, but sometimes I honestly miss out on study time. But I’m positive always, it’s a good day every day.

I am 16 years old and help look after my brain damaged uncle. I have been helping for around 7 years now and it is amazing at how far my uncle and family have come so far.

We have moved around heaps and it at first was a bit of a struggle because I had to juggle depression and helping everyone so things run smoothly. We have also done lots of travelling to W.A and back, camping along the way.

There was a lot to do and that’s when my depression got the worst. Just recently we moved to Lake Bennet for a few months. There was no house where we lived so we camped in tents and an old caravan. I often went on lone trips during my lunch breaks to collect wood to heat up the fire for showers and also for dinner and my uncle’s cups of tea.

My depression has improved over the years and so has my uncle’s disadvantages. He can remember a lot better and he has lost a lot of weight over the years. We are travelling around Australia soon so there will be plenty of times to help out and I can’t wait to see how everything goes over the years.

You are the love to my heart, the passion in my heart. You are the happiness in my smile and the drive in my passion.

You’re the my first thought in the morning and the last thought at night.

You have taught me so much, I have learnt how to live, appreciate and accept.

I thank you for what you have taught me, what we have experienced and for what us to come.

Because of you, I am who I am today, and for that, I am grateful.

I am 16 years old and I look after my mum. Since we live by ourselves I have to look after her because of her medical conditions which can be hard to do so being able to go out with young carers is helpful by taking away all the stress I have.

Being around other kids who are going through the same things as I go through is a great help plus I get to hang out with the kids and go on activities and camps and enjoy having some time to chill.

Young carers also helped me stay at school so I can still learn and get an education which has also helped in out of school activities. I’ve also had help in reaching my goal of getting my driver’s license and help with driving lessons. I’m looking forward to being able to drive my mum around to her appointments and to do the shopping.

I enjoy caring for my mum. It made me learn responsibilities quicker and helped me find my passion for cooking. I now get to study hospitality next year at school and my goal is to be a chef. I did a cooking class with my young carers team, it went for 5 weeks and was really fun, I learnt a lot at the class.