Support for young carers to manage in their caring role.
What is a young carer?
A young carer can be anyone aged 25 or under who cares for another person.
If you help take care of someone in your household or a friend who has a disability, chronic or mental illness, who is frail aged, or has an alcohol or drug problem, you may be a young carer.
What being a young carer can look like:
- Helping with doing the shopping
- Providing emotional support
- Taking care of your siblings
- Lending a hand with the house chores
- Helping with personal needs, like hygiene and feeding
- Providing care all the time or only occasionally
- Taking them to appointments
- Helping them in or out of bed
What do we do?
Young carers can face unique challenges. You might find it hard to find the help and services and help you need. You might find it hard to do well at school when you’re looking after someone else. You might have difficulty finding the time or energy to make or keep friends, or to go out and socialise.
Carer Gateway supports young carers to manage their caring responsibilities and assist with daily tasks, helping them to stay in school and connected with other young carers and the community.
Services are tailored to your individual needs, which may include educational and emotional support, as well as the opportunity to meet other young carers and engage in a variety of programs, events and activities.
Call Carer Gateway on 1800 422 737 Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm to find out how we can help you.
Do I need a referral?
No. You can be involved without a referral. Call our team to register.
Location
Our office is located at Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung, Chifley Dr | Preston
We also provide services over the phone or at a location that is convenient to you.
More information
Anyone may become an unpaid carer even temporarily. Carers can be any age and could be caring for anyone, a parent, friend, child, sibling or neighbour. It may be because they have disability, a medical condition, mental illness or are frail due to age.
We provide support services that are tailored to your individual caring needs. These may include:
Coaching: Reflect on how your caring role impacts your life and learn new ways to manage stress and improve your wellbeing.
- Self-guided coaching – undertake online interactive courses.
Counselling: If you’re feeling stressed, anxious, sad or frustrated, a professional counsellor can talk with you about your worries and offer help. Reflect on how your caring role impacts your life and learn new ways to manage stress and improve your wellbeing.
- Self-guided coaching
- In-person
- Phone counselling
- Emergency respite
- Planned respite
Peer Support: Meet with people in similar caring situations and share your stories, knowledge and experience.
- In-person
- Online forum
- Online skill courses
Tailored support packages: Get tailored support to assist you in your caring role.
- One-off practical support in the form of equipment or an item to assist you in your caring role.
- A range of ongoing practical supports, such as planned respite or transport, provided over a twelve-month period.
Activities, events, workshops and carer engagement: Connect with other carers, socialise and share your experience and learn practical information to support you in your caring role.
You can learn more by visiting Carer Gateway young carers or by calling Carer Gateway on 1800 422 737, Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm local time. You can also click the link to register your caring role and request a callback.
Merri Health acknowledges the support of the Victorian Government for the Support for Carers Program.
