Earlier this academic year, the Family Care Office and the Innovation Hub launched the Supporting Student Parents virtual toolkit. The toolkit contains concrete ways the University of Toronto community can support student parents’ participation in their studies by addressing the barriers they face. The toolkit is grounded in years of qualitative research conducted by the Innovation Hub with students who are also parents. As we were collaborating with the Innovation Hub, we at the Family Care Office kept thinking about the other group of students we support: student caregivers. 

Young caregivers – often defined as people under 30 years old – are often carrying an invisible load. As the Young Caregiver Council of Canada explains, “young caregivers (also known as young carers) are generally understood as young people who support a family member or friend living with chronic illness, disability, mental health challenge, substance use, parental absence, aging needs, and/or other social or cultural factors (e.g., language).”  In our experiences, we have students here at U of T who accompany their parents to regular medical appointments to bridge a language barrier. We have students who are caring for a parent during cancer treatments. We have students who participate in the care for their siblings, and have done so for years, prior to coming to university. U of T carers are not alone. In Canada, there are a growing number of youth who are taking on substantial unpaid familial caregiving in addition to their individual responsibilities.  In 2012, an estimated 1.25 young caregivers were identified, with that number growing annually.  

Young carers face a ‘young carer penalty,’ both in education and in their work lives which can negatively limit them. Professionally, young carers may not be able to hold a part-time job or gain work experience through internships. In “The young carer penalty: Exploring the cost of caregiving among a sample of Canadian youth”, Vivian Stamatopoulos writes, 

“Education is also negatively affected by youth’s excessive caregiving. Lack of sleep, concentration difficulties, increased lateness, absences, and a lack of available time required for homework and studying are just some of the penalties noted. Participants often cited a daily struggle between satisfying their caregiving and educational demands, which in turn led to their feelings of being overwhelmed and exhausted.”ⁱ 

Young people who provide significant care to others may struggle physically, socially, emotionally and financially. Academically, they may have challenges in consistent attendance and amount of time available to spend on assignments and preparing for exams. Young carers are seldom recognized by targeted resources, and caregiving is often not recognized within polices and accommodation processes.  

These themes overlap with what we heard from student parents, but are also distinct. One young caregiver shares:  

“Being a young caregiver meant living two separate lives at once – supporting someone you love, while just trying to fit in and live a normal life as a student. Society’s understanding of young caregivers won’t change overnight, but by normalizing, affirming, and actively supporting us on campus, you can help us feel seen and valued regardless.”ⁱⁱ  

Many young carers don’t always recognize their role as caregiving. Putting a name to these responsibilities can be an important first step toward accessing support and resources.   

At the Family Care Office, young caregivers are encouraged to connect with us, whether it’s through our advising appointments, our study hub or our many workshops and events throughout the year.  Helen Reddy Katz, our Family Care Advisor, Student Focus, often speaks about the importance of early connection.  

“I love when a young caregiver reaches out, whether it’s independently, or through a referral.  Even if we’re just discussing office supports at that moment, it assures that we’re familiar with each other if there are barriers and crises faced moving forward. More often than not, the young caregiver didn’t know that our supports existed, and are relieved that their realities are recognized and that there are other students out their having similar experiences.”   

How can we, as administrators and educators, support young caregivers at the University of Toronto? The Centre for Innovation in Campus Mental Health and the Ontario Caregiver Organization has some suggestions in their info sheet Helping Young Carers Succeed. According to this resource, we can begin with the important step of recognition. “One of the greatest challenges young caregivers face is that their role often goes unrecognized due to their age. Helping students identify their caregiving responsibilities—and how these impact their daily lives, including school—can empower them to seek and accept support.” Beyond recognition, we can then turn to identifying, engaging and supporting.  

Supports available for Young Caregivers 

To support caregivers, we have compiled a list of organizations and resources dedicated to easing the caregiving journey: 

• The Young Caregivers Association is dedicated to supporting young caregivers and their families by recognizing their needs, increasing awareness, and offering empowerment programs. 

• The Ontario Caregiver Organization provides caregivers with access to information, resources, and support to ensure success in their role. Their helpline offers 24/7 support at 1-833-416-2273. The OCO has created a space to support carers under the age of 30, called Young Caregivers Connect.  

• The University of Toronto Telus Health Support offers confidential, 24/7 support services to students, including counseling, caregiving resources, and wellness programs. 

For a more extensive list of caregiving resources, visit the Family Care Office’s Resource Centre. 

 
Upcoming Caregiving Workshops and Events with the Family Care Office 

April is recognized as Caregiver Month in Canada, with April 7 being National Caregiver Day. In recognition of and support for the caregivers in our U of T community, including students, the Family Care Office hosting a series of workshops to provide resources, services, and opportunities to enhance knowledge and skills: 

1. Register for Advanced Care Planning on Wednesday, April 8 (virtual workshop) 

2. Register for Boundaries in Caregiving on Monday, April 13 (virtual workshop) 

3. Register for an in-person Lunch and Connect for Caregivers on Monday, April 13 (during which we will participate together in the Boundaries in Caregiving workshop)  

4. Register for The Role of Ontario Health atHome for the Caregiver on Wednesday, May 6 (virtual workshop)