I’m just helping out the family: profiling hidden young carers
Cathy Thomson, Trish Hill, Ciara Smyth and Bettina Cass
Social Policy Research Centre, UNSW
Contact Email:   cm.thomsonunsw.edu.au

The term ‘young carer’ is used in research and policy to denote children and young people who provide assistance and support to people with disability or chronic illness. The term tends to be recognised by young people only after they come in contact with services. Much of the knowledge about young carers is therefore based on this group. It is widely acknowledged, however, that existing research does not capture the full extent of young people’s caregiving, as many remain hidden and do not identify with the term ‘young carer’, instead perceiving what they do as part of normal family life.

This paper uses an innovative method to identify and profile the demographic characteristics and geographical distribution of these potential or hidden young carers. An analysis of Census investigates whether caring differentially affects identified and potential or hidden young carers’ current social and economic participation and, hence, their opportunities in later life. Results show that young people of Indigenous and CALD backgrounds are over represented among potential carers. The policy implications and recommendations for future service development to best identify and support hidden young carers are then discussed.

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