Sarah is raising her young daughter who has autism in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne. This is her carer story.
Being a carer for our daughter has changed over time. When our daughter was little and not as well supported, she could only manage school attendance on a very limited basis. This meant I supported her in the hours when most children would be attending school, and meant I was unable to work. This was a very lonely time and took a lot of adjustment. It was very hard for most people outside our family to understand the daily, or often hourly, challenges despite their well meaning comments.
Being a carer meant doing lots of reading, research, and advocacy along with supporting our daughter to get through each day while staying regulated. Now that she is older, my role as a carer means managing her appointments and support workers, keeping life as predictable as possible, and ongoing advocacy with school, as every year is different. We are always looking to the future and look for ways to minimise our daughter’s vulnerability, while simultaneously being slightly wary of what that future might look like for her.
One of the surprising rewards of being a carer is the connections I have made and the friendly ear I have been able to offer to others on a similar pathway. Also there is extra joy in the progress and growth in our daughter, knowing the early challenges she faced. And it is comforting to know that there are kind, wise teachers and other community members out there doing their absolute best to support those with disabilities and their families.
Being a carer has taught me greater empathy, and to withhold judgment, as we only know a fraction of the challenges in anyone’s life.
Help others understand the real impact of care for unpaid carers. Whether you’re a primary, secondary, former or young carer, your story matters - and we want to hear it!
