Western Australia's 40,000 Young Carers Face Education Barriers and Limited Support

Since arriving in Western Australia as a refugee, Sara Qalandari began caring for her family at ten, managing appointments for her mother’s health issues and assisting her siblings, especially an 18-year-old brother with a congenital visual impairment. While completing a biomedical sciences degree and studying psychology part-time, she aims to enter medical school but finds the competing demands overwhelming. Qalandari advocates for university pathways that level the playing field for young carers, yet her appeals to politicians have yielded little progress.

A recent Carers Australia Wellbeing Survey reveals that 65% of young carers now feel they have lost their childhood, with many reporting disrespect, exclusion from care decisions, and challenges navigating government systems. Organizations such as Care WA, the Youth Advisory Council, and Carer Gateway provide limited financial aid and counselling, but carers stress the need for formal recognition, flexible respite, and better integration of their role within schools and health services.