Wellways Carer Gateway | Support for young carers

There are 2-3 young carers in every classroom.

Many young carers do not realise they are a carer, they are just helping out their mum, dad, sibling or grandparent. No matter what a caring role looks like, there is support available.

What do young carers do?

Young carers help with daily tasks such as:

Household chores eg. Cooking, cleaning, washing
Grocery shopping and running errands
Personal care eg. Bathing, toileting, dressing
Administering medicine and keeping medical appointments
Managing finances and paying bills
Social and emotional support

Support for young carers

Young carers' needs may differ from those of other carers, and our Young Carer Specialists can help young carers identify what support will help them most. Some supports we have to help young carers include:

Tutoring and school readiness including school fees, uniforms and equipment
Extracurricular activities such as sport and music lessons
Access to driving lessons
Camps and holiday programs
Domestic assistance such as lawn mowing and cleaning
Coaching, support groups and art therapy

Information for schools and TAFEs

Teachers and staff play a key role in identifying and helping young carers and their parents/guardians. Our Young Carer Specialists and Service Navigators are available to visit your school and provide you with more information about Wellways Carer Gateway.

We encourage Guidance Counsellors and Officers, Student Support Teams and Principals to complete the form below to arrange a meeting with one of our Young Carer Specialists or Service Navigators to learn more about how we can help.

Information for young carers and their parents/guardians

Being a young carer is hard, but you don’t have to do it alone. If you or someone you know is a carer, register for free services here:

Carer Gateway Registration

Hellen's story

Hellen, a young carer, talks about caring for her sister and sacrificing certain things such as self-care due to its responsibilities and her positive experience of getting the right support.

Wellways Carer Gateway is a free government funded support service available to carers of all ages. Carer Gateway services help carers to build skills and reduce strain ensuring they are in the best emotional space for their important caring role.

Contact us

Call: 1800 422 737
Visit: carergateway.gov.au

Carer Gateway is a national service funded by the Australian Government.

Wellways acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People as the traditional owners and custodians of the land on which we live, work and play and pays respect to their Elders past and present.

We are committed to inclusive communities, workplaces, policies and services for people of all backgrounds, genders, sexualities, cultures, bodies and abilities.

We can arrange interpreter services for most languages.