Published on 16 October 2020
National Carers Week 2020 runs from 11 – 17 October 2020 and aims to raise awareness of unpaid carers and their caring role in Australia.
A carer can be anyone, any culture and any age. A carer can even be a child, as a child may care for a sibling, parent, grandparent or friend. Carers don't have to be fulltime carers, they can be anyone that offers any level of support to a loved one. Young carers in particular are often missed as they don't realise they may be a carer.
Carers NSW defines a carer as “any individual who provides care and support to a family member or friend who has a disability, mental illness, drug and/or alcohol dependency, chronic condition, terminal illness or who is frail”.
Caring for someone can have emotional, physical and/or financial impacts which can affect other aspects of life such as being able to work or socialise. For children it can affect not only their social life but also their education and overall wellbeing.
At Camden Council we want to recognise the hard work of our carers and especially our young carers. Carers at times can even be as young as four. Recently we interviewed young carer Kylah 10, who helps care for her sister Indy, she is one special young lady, watch a short version of the interview here.
There are some great supports around for carers and young carers. If you are looking for support, check out some of the following:
Camden Council is always interested to hear your experience and your story. We want to hear the voices of all ages and types of carers. Or maybe you would like to share about someone who cares for you. If you would be interested in sharing your story, please contact the Children and Family Community Project Officer on 4654 7879 or send an email for more information.