Caregiver guide · Young carers
Young Carer Support Navigator
Find practical support for school, money, breaks, emotional wellbeing, and planning ahead when you regularly help care for someone in your family.
Find practical support for school, money, breaks, emotional wellbeing, and planning ahead when you regularly help care for someone in your family.
You do not need a formal caregiver title or a family member's diagnosis to use this guide.
What to do this week
A short sequence you can follow at your own pace. Nothing is saved to an account.
- Tell one trusted person that caregiving is affecting you.
- Write down how caregiving affects school, work, sleep, finances, or wellbeing.
- Contact one relevant school or community support.
This checklist is for planning only. Programs and school policies vary; confirm details with each organization.
Support in your province
Canada-wide resources appear throughout this guide. These provincial caregiver hubs add young carer modules where verified content exists.
Ontario Ontario young carer programs
Hospice Toronto young carer programming and Ontario Caregiver Organization resources for the young carer audience.
Quebec Quebec young carer programs
AMI-Quebec young carer hub information and provincial caregiver navigation.
British Columbia British Columbia young carer programs
Family Caregivers of BC young carer hub information and provincial caregiver navigation.
School and academic accommodations
Schools and colleges may adjust deadlines, attendance, or access to supports when family caregiving affects your learning. Availability depends on your institution and circumstances.
Schools and colleges may adjust deadlines, attendance, or supports when family caregiving affects your learning.
Sample message you can adapt
You do not need to share diagnosis details about the person you care for. Share only what affects your attendance or coursework.
I help care for a family member, and it is affecting my attendance, deadlines, or ability to study. Could we discuss available flexibility or student supports?
Share only what you are comfortable sharing. You can ask about supports without disclosing medical details about your family member.
High school
Start with a teacher, guidance counsellor, or principal. In Ontario, an individualized education plan (IEP) may document accommodations when caregiving affects learning; other provinces use similar plans under different names.
College or university
Contact accessibility services, your program office, or residence staff early. Post-secondary institutions often have formal accommodation processes separate from high school.
Money, bursaries, and household benefits
Organized by what you may need help with. Household benefits usually belong to the care recipient or the household, not directly to the young carer.
Household benefits may be paid to the care recipient or household rather than directly to the young carer.
Household benefits
The quiz can surface provincial programs, caregiver tax credits, and disability-related supports based on your household, province, and circumstances.
Student grants and loans
Federal and provincial student aid for post-secondary students. Some provinces add grants on top of base aid.
Young carer bursaries
Charitable bursaries published by the Young Caregivers Association for ages 5 to 25. Check current intake windows before applying.
Breaks and peer support
Non-profit hubs run groups, recreation, and navigation so young carers can connect with peers who understand the role.
Available across Canada
- Canada-widePeer support
Powerhouse (Young Caregivers Association)
National charity programming with peer connection, skills building, and clinical services for young people ages 5 to 25 supporting a family member.
Available in your province
- OntarioPeer support
Young Caregivers Connect (Ontario)
Ontario-only online forums and peer navigation operated by the Ontario Caregiver Organization. Not available in other provinces. Helpline: 1-833-416-2273 (CARE).
Emotional support
Non-emergency support for isolation, stress, grief, burnout, and talking to peers or counsellors.
School counsellors, student wellness services, and community mental health programs may help with stress, grief, or burnout from caregiving. Ask what is available at your school or through your provincial health system.
- Feeling isolated from friends or school
- Stress from balancing school and caregiving
- Grief or worry about a family member
- Burnout from ongoing caregiving
- Talking to peers who understand the role
- School or community counselling
Planning ahead
Age-appropriate tools for school transitions, adulthood, and provincial caregiver navigation.