Caring health centre

Tips for young carers

Hundreds of thousands of children and teenagers act as carers for parents or other relatives.

Daily tasks include washing, dressing and helping with medication. Others take on responsibility for household chores such as cooking, shopping and cleaning. Doing this and keeping up with school work can be tough and you may feel you don’t have as much time for friends and interests as you’d like. You may worry about the person you care for, and feel angry and upset at times. But there is more help out there for young carers than ever before and getting support really can make a difference, both for you and the person you care for. Here are three essential tips:

1. Get online

An online community of young carers is a place you can share your thoughts, feelings, and experiences and get advice and support. Being a carer can mean you spend a lot of time at home and joining an online community can give you contact with a supportive group of friends without leaving the house. Sometimes you just need to have a rant, and this is a safe place to do it! YCNet is a forum moderated by qualified youth workers, which means you can get expert advice when you need it. It’s all confidential - no-one will report anything you say on the site.

2. Join a group

Your local Young Carers Project can put you in touch with other young carers in your area. Most projects organise regular social evenings which can be a great way to meet other young people who really understand your situation. Some projects also organise days out, weekends away and even holidays for young carers. Click on www.youngcarer.com and look in the Local Support section to find your nearest group.

3. Get your school involved

Does school sometimes feel like just another hassle in your life? Many young carers find they get to school late, can’t get homework done on time, and can’t concentrate in lessons. All of this can get you into trouble and affect how well you do.

Being honest with your teachers can make a big difference to your experience of school. If your teachers know that you are caring for someone at home, you may be given extra time to complete homework, be allowed to use a mobile during school to contact the person you care for, or be allowed to have lunch early so you can go home at lunchtime. Some schools even have a teacher whose job it is to look after young carers. You can also talk about bullying if this is affecting you. They will talk to you in private and won’t speak to your parents or the person you care for unless you tell them to. They also won’t let your classmates know you’re a carer if you’d rather keep it to yourself.

If you’re unsure about how to talk to a teacher directly about your situation, could you ask a family member to write to, or call, the school? Many young carers worry that they or younger siblings will be taken away from the family if people find out they’re a carer. But local authorities now have a policy of doing all they can to keep families together and they can help take the pressure off young carers by getting you the help and support you need.