Australia Supports 1 in 10 Young Carers With New Programs

When Margo Villa was just five years old, she started helping care for her younger brother who has autism, ADHD and intellectual disabilities.

Now 15, Margo still helps her brother get ready each morning, makes his lunch, and supports him when he feels overwhelmed. Her story represents an entire generation of young Australians quietly stepping up at home.

Across the country, as many as one in 10 young people qualify as young carers. They're children and young adults under 25 who provide care for family members affected by disability, chronic illness, mental illness, addiction or frail age.

For years, many of these young helpers went unrecognized. Margo's mother, Krisma Villa, didn't even realize her daughter qualified as a young carer until she identified herself as one first.

"I acknowledged that my daughter needed support and that what she's going through is something that could be isolating," Krisma said. Learning about carer status opened doors to help they didn't know existed.

The need for support is urgent. Research published in the Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry found that two-thirds of young carers face extreme mental health challenges.

Young carers are 86 percent more likely to experience suicidal thoughts and self-harm than their peers. They're also more likely to drop out of school or work and experience poverty.

The Ripple Effect

Organizations like Little Dreamers are now building specific programs for young carers. Founded by Maddy Buchner, the group offers psychology services, art therapy, play therapy and counseling designed specifically for young people balancing care responsibilities.

Little Dreamers released recommendations to government calling for updated legislation to recognize young carers as a critical group needing support. The organization is pushing for systems designed around young people's unique needs, not just scaled-down adult services.

The challenge is even greater in rural and regional areas. Distance creates additional barriers, and stigma in smaller communities can prevent young people from seeking help.

"Young people in smaller regional and rural communities may not want to share that they have these additional responsibilities," Buchner explained. Without identifying as carers, they miss access to services that could help.

Krisma Villa knows firsthand how isolation compounds the challenge. As a migrant family in regional Victoria with no nearby relatives, they had limited options.

Recognition is growing, and with it, pathways to support that let young carers know they're not alone.