Caregiving Youth: The Overlooked Caregivers
Introduction
Did you know that in the U.S. there are about 5.4 million children and adolescents (ages 10 - 17) who provide some form of unpaid family caregiving to loved ones? They care for their parents, grandparents and other family members suffering from conditions related to aging, disabilities, chronic illnesses, mental health decline and various other ailments. If you didn’t know this, you are not alone. The valuable services this population of caregivers provide often go unrecognized.
But, these young people play a vital role in helping to bridge the gaps in systemic healthcare in this country and they deserve more visibility, recognition and meaningful support.
“Anything You Can Do, I Can Do…”
Just like adult caregivers, caregiving youth assist their loved ones with activities of daily living (ADLs). For example, helping granddad with his grooming, getting dressed, toileting, feeding and mobility. In recent years, youth caregivers have evolved to performing even more complex tasks such as administering medications, changing bandages and communicating with medical staff. Of course, as with adults, youth caregiving carries with it a range of positive and negative experiences for those involved. Perhaps, however, the lyrics from the show tune, “Annie Get Your Gun,” that boast “Anything You Can Do, I Can Do Better,” are not quite apropos when comparing adult family caregivers and youth family caregivers. Of particular concern, is a tendency of youth caregivers to experience greater levels of depression and anxiety. Yet research shows that with the right support systems, youth caregivers demonstrate extraordinary resilience, leadership skills, and empathy that positively shape their futures.
Are There Any Benefits to Being a Youth Caregiver?
To answer this question, let’s consider the following youth caregiver story:
When Penny was 11, her mother was injured in a bad traffic accident that left her paralyzed on one side. At this early age, Penny began helping her older brother care for their mom. She managed household routines, cooked family meals, helped with ADLs, mobility tasks and oversaw her mother’s medications. Now an adult, Penny looks back on her youth caregiving experience as both challenging and empowering: “It taught me responsibility early and gave me the courage to pursue goals in my life that I might otherwise have shied away from. I also learned how to advocate for my family and for myself.”
Yes. Caregiving responsibilities at an early age, can help build useful skills that can serve young caregivers well throughout their lifetimes. Stories like Penny’s remind us that youth caregivers are often wise beyond their years, navigating practical and emotional demands that most adults never experience so young.
Putting It All Together
Interestingly, the youth caregiver is not a new phenomenon. It has been part of our culture for as long as multigenerational families have existed. Some of us remember as children, helping our parents care for an aging grandparent, aunt or other family member. Stopping by to check on them after school. Running an errand to the corner store. Sweeping up their kitchen floor or walking their dog.
As our population continues to age, the need for more family caregivers will continue to rise, and more youth will continue to help fill this void. However, it's critical to remember that children are not adults. Keeping the caregiving tasks they perform age-appropriate is important in helping to prevent them from becoming overwhelmed and overstressed with responsibilities and time commitments that are beyond their years. Supporting youth caregivers requires collaboration across communities – from schools to workplaces to healthcare providers. Some examples of support include school and workplace flexibility, implementing trauma-aware practices, including youth caregivers in appropriate family care discussions and creating youth-focused caregiver networks.
Let’s recognize and appreciate these young people for all that they do. We see you caregiving youth! Keep up the great work!
Until the next blog!
Thank you for being here, for reading and for caring!
References
U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO). Youth Caregivers: Federal Review of Prevalence and Support Gaps, May 2025.
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, New Study Reveals Millions of Young Americans Provide Essential Care to Adults, by Lindsey Culli, June 20, 2024.
Caregiving Youth Research Collaborative. 2023. Report on caregiving youth in the U.S.: Progress and opportunity [White paper]. American Association of Caregiving Youth Institute.
AARP, How to Get Teens Involved in Family Caregiving, by Cassandra Brooklyn, October 13, 2022.
Forbes, The Youngest Family Caregivers: Tweens And Teens, by Carol Levine, August 20, 2020.
AgingCare, Children and Teens: The Overlooked Caregivers No One Ever Talks About, by Connie Siskowski.