Young carers: location, education and employment disadvantage

Research and official inquires in Australia have identified young people with caring responsibilities as a potentially vulnerable population group with respect to education and employment participation but locational differences in the ‘young carer disadvantage’ are yet to be fully explored. This paper examines theoretical issues about why location might have a significant impact of young carers’ participation and what methods might be used to explore this question. Using the ABS 2006 Census of Population and Housing, the paper maps young carer disadvantage in education, unemployment and non-participation in Australia and conducts exploratory analysis of area characteristics associated with higher young carer disadvantage. The results suggest that local area characteristics might matter to young carers’ life chances and that further research needs to explore the possibilities and limits of spatial policy to assist young carers in maintaining their education and employment participation.