Are you a young carer?
A young carer is someone aged 18 or under who helps look after a relative who has a condition, such as a disability, illness, mental health condition, or a drug or alcohol problem.
Most young carers look after one of their parents or care for a brother or sister. They do extra jobs in and around the home, such as cooking, cleaning, or helping someone to get dressed and move around. Along with doing things to help, you may also be giving emotional support to.
Your choices about caring
Some people start caring at a very young age and don't really realise they are carers. Other young people become carers overnight. Young carers shouldn't be spending a lot of their time caring for someone, as this can get in the way of them doing well at school and doing the same kinds of things as other children or young people.
It's important young carers decide how much and what type of care they are willing or able to give, or whether you should be a carer at all.
The Local Authority should make sure people with care needs do not have to rely on Young People to care for them. It's important for social services to ensure the whole family feels supported and comfortable with your role.
Young carers' rights
Local Authorities must:
- Carry out a “young carer’s needs assessment” and repeat on request if circumstances change.
- Decide whether it is appropriate for a young person to care for someone else – and this includes taking into account whether they want to be a carer.
- Look at their education, training, leisure opportunities and their views about the future.
- Consider the Young Carers wishes and involve them and their parents and anyone else they want to be involved.
- Provide everyone a written record of the assessment.
- Include whether the young carer need support, whether services could provide them with that support, and whether they will offer that support.
- Explain what young carers and their parents can do if they disagree with the assessment.
Provided that the Young Carer and the person they care for agree, the local authority can assess both the needs as a young carer and the needs of the person they care for, at the same time.
Young Carers who are 16 or over, and not in full-time education may be eligible for help finding workas well as help with family’s finances, for instance through benefits such as Carer’s Allowance.
Young carer’s assessmentsare the best place to find out about what is available in most situations.
For opportunities on activities available across Walsall, please contact Youth Support Services 01922 714966 or Myplace Centre (Young Carers Group) - Fiona Wilson or Julie Hill on 01922 655419