The 2021 Census revealed that mental health conditions were among the most-reported long-term illnesses in Australia. But as bad as things have been for those seeking treatment, for their carers it is equally tough.
Rose Cuff is with the Satellite Foundation, a Victorian group that works with young people whose parents or carers have mental health challenges.
"They really are the double-whammy of the pandemic and cost of living, and their family members - their adult family members - struggling with rising cases of depression and anxiety - it's really making young people ... it's a really tough time."
Alison Brook says Carers Australia is about to launch a bursaries program to give young carers extra support, because caring responsibilities mean they're much less likely to complete their education or training.
The Foundation has just received just over $12 million from the Victorian Government to expand their services statewide.
Rose Cuff says that funding will allow them to reach young carers who live in remote and regional areas, who typically have struggled to find support in the past.
"The bravery required to speak up about what's happening in the mental health field in your family - because of the stigma that still exists out there - can be incredibly hard. And so there's a huge amount of courage required to even reach out for support in the first place, and then when you do it can be hard to find what you want and when you want it."
