Who is a young carer?
If you are under 18 and are helping to care for someone you live
with you could be classified as a young carer. This could be a
parent, brother, sister or an older relative.
The person you care for may have:
- a long-term illness like cancer or epilepsy
- mental health issues like depression or schizophrenia
- problems with drugs or alcohol
- a sensory impairment like being blind or deaf
- a learning or physical disability.
You might help the person you care for in a variety of
ways:-
- helping them get washed and dressed
- lifting them in and out of bed
- looking after younger brothers or sisters
- shopping, cooking and cleaning
- listening to them when they are upset.
There may be things you need to do for someone who has a
particular illness such as:-
- changing their bandages
- giving them medicines
- getting them into a wheelchair.
What are some of the challenges.
The extra time you spend looking after someone and the stress
this might give you can affect you in a number of ways.
You may feel you need to get a job to support your family and
don't have the same options as other young people to continue with
education.
You may problems getting to school or completing homework on
time because of the extra things you have to do at home.
You might worry about leaving the person you care for so making
it hard to spend time with friends.
You may feel angry with the person you’re looking after because
they take so much of your time. You may feel neglected, and then
guilty for having that attitude.
Being a young carer is a big responsibility and that can be
really hard.
Looking after yourself
It’s very important to remember to look after yourself, too.
Make sure you have regular meals and enough sleep. Take time out to
be with your friends and ask other family members to look after the
one you care for from time to time. If you think you need more help
then see overleaf.
What if I could with some help?
As a young person under 18 providing care to others you are
entitled to have an assessment made on you by the local authority
to see whether any help should be given to you. An assessment may
sound scary, but if a social worker, health visitor or other
professional visits the person you care for, tell them you would
like someone to look at your own needs.
What help and information is available
Remember, you can always talk to your school or college to get
advice. Also, a Connexions Adviser or Youth Worker will be able to
advise you on the support available. Below are some useful website
links.
NHS
Choices
Childrens
Society
NHS Choices on help for
carers
Young
Carers
Direct.gov
Macmillan Cancer
Support
Peterborough Young Carers Project
This is managed by the national charity KIDS and the project
will support young carers aged between 5 and 18 years.
Young carers who are part of a Young Carers Project say that
they are glad to know that there are others like them and that they
‘are not the only one’. Bringing young carers together to have fun,
meet and join in with activities is the main role of this project.
There are:-
- activities and outings during school holidays
- an after-school group at least once a month
- one to one support work and counselling sessions
- a regular newsletter
- a monitored private social networking site for young
carers
- support and advice when requested
You can email Peterborough Young Carers Project at peterborough.yc@kids.org.uk or
telephone
Tel: 07585 790745