What is a young carer?

Young Carers are children and young people aged 5-18 who help to look after somebody in their family because that person has a disability, illness, mental health difficulty, or because that person misuses drugs or alcohol.

There are lots of different things that young carers might do to help, these could include:

• Helping to do the shopping
• Cooking
• Cleaning
• Looking after younger brothers or sisters
• Giving medication
• Helping the person they care for go to the toilet or have a shower
• Keeping them company when they’re feeling down. Lots of young carers say that they worry about the person they care for when they aren’t with them and feel they need to check they are okay.

Caring can sometimes be a positive experience and can help young people to develop important skills like communication, time management and empathy, which can be very useful when applying for jobs or further education.

Sometimes caring can be difficult and it can make life more challenging for the young person. Young carers are more likely to experience barriers related to their mental health, family life, social life and education, than their peers who do not have caring responsibilities.

If you are a young carer or a family member in need of support, please contact the Young Carers’ Project team who will talk to you about your situation on 0191 2496480. You can also speak to your teachers at school about your caring responsibilities who will be able to carry out a Young Carers Needs Assessment.