What is a young carer?
Young carers are children and young people who look after a
relative who has an illness or a disability or is affected by
mental ill-health or substance misuse.
Young carers often take on practical and/or emotional caring
responsibilities that would normally be expected of an adult. Their
role can vary according to the nature of the illness or disability,
the level and frequency of need for care and the structure of the
family as a whole.
A young carer may do some or all of the
following:
- Practical tasks such as cooking, housework and shopping.
- Physical care such as lifting, helping a parent on stairs or
with physiotherapy.
- Personal care such as dressing, washing and helping with
toileting needs.
- Managing the family budget and collecting benefits and
prescriptions.
- Administering medication.
- Looking after younger siblings.
- Emotional support.
- Interpreting, due to a hearing or speech impairment or because
English is not the family's first language.
Some young carers may undertake high levels of care, whereas for
others it may be frequent low levels of care. Either can impact
heavily on a child or young person.