Cold shoulder to young carer Jazzi Pybus

TEN-YEAR-OLD carer Jazzi Pybus will not be invited to attend the Young Carers conference at Parliament House next month, despite being the only child who volunteered to go.

TEN-YEAR-OLD carer Jazzi Pybus will not be invited to attend the Young Carers conference at Parliament House next month, despite being the only child who volunteered to go.

Carers Australia chief executive Joan Hughes said yesterday that fully sponsored positions had been filled and that Jazzi was too young to be of assistance to policymakers and academics who will attend the conference.

The Australian this week reported that Carers Australia, which received $280,000 in federal funding to host a Young Carers conference, had knocked back an approach by Jazzi to attend with her friends, aged 10 to 12, who care for parents who have schizophrenia or suffer from drug abuse.

Jazzi's father, Calvin Pybus, has post-traumatic stress syndrome. Her mother was recently hit by a bus and left with multiple fractures. She has a baby brother with Down syndrome. Her friend, Angel, cares for a mum with bipolar disorder.

The girls wanted to attend the conference because they were themselves young carers: they do the washing, help young siblings get ready for bed, and manage the household. They formed a support group for young carers in their neighbourhood, outside Brisbane. They connect online, and have painted a series of artworks about their lives. The girls hoped to learn from others at the conference, too.

Ms Hughes said yesterday: "What you really need to understand is that the young people who will attend have been recruited."

The Australian understands that Jazzi is the only young person to get in touch with Carers Australia and ask to attend the talkfest.

Ms Hughes said the aim was to bring together academics, members of parliament, service providers and young carers. Asked if Jazzi could be in the audience, she said: "It's hard to say. It's a duty-of-care issue."

Carers Australia spokesman Anthony Watkins said the problem was a shortage of seats.

"We arranged for 32 young carers from across Australia to come," Mr Watkins said. "We had limited funds and we had to make the most of opportunities."

Opposition disabilities, carers and voluntary sector spokesman Cory Bernardi said: "We should be supporting our very young carers. It concerns me that they are not receiving financial support. It's alarming. They are a hidden group. To hear that children are banding together for support as there are no services suitable to their needs is disturbing."