Across Canada, more than a million young people between the ages of 15 and 24 are providing unpaid care to family members living with chronic illness, disability or age-related challenges. According to a new study by a group, including Lucas Perri – a young carer himself, they are preparing meals, managing medications, handling household tasks and sometimes even making health care decisions – often while juggling school, part-time jobs, a social life and their own mental well-being. Despite the vital role they play, these young carers remain largely invisible.
Many don’t even recognize themselves as caregivers. They see their responsibilities as part of family life, doing what needs to be done. But this quiet dedication can come at a cost. These young people are at greater risk for social isolation, anxiety, disrupted sleep and poor academic performance. With no national policy, minimal access to support and few professionals trained to spot the signs, young carers are too often left to shoulder overwhelming responsibilities alone.
The study looks at Sarah, for example – a 17-year-old student caring for her mother who has multiple sclerosis. Sarah cooks, cleans, helps with dressing and manages appointments. She’s also trying to complete high school, manage persistent fatigue and navigate her own adolescence. When her teachers and doctor finally connected the dots, they worked together to help both Sarah and her mother access the support they needed. But that kind of coordinated care is still the exception rather than the rule.
So what can we do to change that?
First, we need to recognize that young carers are part of Canada’s caregiving landscape. Other countries, like the UK, have implemented legislation to formally identify and support young carers, including access to financial aid and respite care. Canada has yet to follow suit. Most programs here are patchy, hard to find and often unavailable to those living in rural or remote areas.
Second, schools and health professionals need better tools and training to identify caregiving students early. Teachers and guidance counsellors are often on the front lines. They may notice frequent absences, a drop in grades or signs of stress. But unless they ask the right questions – like whether a student helps a family member bathe or get dressed – they may never uncover what’s really going on at home.
Adding simple questions to student well-being surveys, offering professional development on caregiving issues and building flexible school policies (like extended deadlines or modified attendance expectations) can make a real difference. Caregiving could even be recognized as a form of community service to satisfy that requirement to graduate without requiring more hours that caregiving students just don’t have. When schools take a whole-community approach, students feel seen and supported, not stigmatized or penalized.
Third, we need to connect young carers to each other and to community-based resources. Peer support groups, mentorship opportunities and skill-building workshops – online or in person – can help reduce isolation and build confidence. These connections don’t just support mental health, they also foster resilience and a sense of shared understanding.
Fourth, young carers should be taught to ask for help. Extended family, neighbours, church members and so on could provide respite care or help with household tasks like cutting grass or picking up a grocery order. This is essential support, particularly in rural areas.
Finally, we need to advocate for national policies that address the needs of young carers directly. That includes developing caregiver-specific benefits that aren’t tied to income, collecting data on caregiver well-being and ensuring every young person who takes on this role has access to the supports they deserve.
Young carers are not a fringe group. They are a vital, unrecognized, part of our social fabric. Their care makes it possible for others to remain at home, recover or age with dignity. They should not have to sacrifice their own health, education or future to do it.
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