A young carer is a child or young person aged 18 or under who provides care for a family member with a disability. This can be anyone in the family such as grandparents, parents and siblings. Disability is defined by someone with a physical disability, mental health illness, substance misuse, learning difficulty, terminal or long-term illness. This can include practical or emotional care that would normally be expected of an adult and as a result, it has a significant impact on the young carer's childhood and adolescence. Click here for support during covid-19. Click here for the young carers newsletter.
ROLES OF A YOUNG CARER
MAY PREFORM
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Cleaning their own bedroom, or clean other rooms
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Washing the dishes or put dishes in a dishwasher
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Taking responsibility of shopping for food and other essentials
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Help with lifting or carrying heavy things
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Help with financial matters such as dealing with bills, banking money, collecting benefits
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Working part time to bring money in
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Interpret, sign, or use another interpretation system for the person they care for
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Helping the person they care for dress and undress
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Helping the person they care for have a wash, bath, or shower
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Keeping the person they care fo company, e.g. sitting with them and talking with them
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Keeping an eye on the person they care for to make sure they are alright
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Taking the person they care for outside, e.g for a walk, or to see friends or relatives
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Looking after brothers and sisters whilst an adult is nearby or on their own
WHAT RIGHT A YOUNG
CARER HAS
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A young carer, because they are under 18, have many entitlements according to the Unite Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). A young carer has the right to:-
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A childhood
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Have an education
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Be healthy
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Be heard, listened to, and believed
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Be protected from physical and psychological harm
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Be consulted and fully involved in discussions which affect their lives
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Have privacy and respect
A YOUNG CARER PARTICULARLY
HAS THE RIGHT TO
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Request an assessment to see what help and support they and their family need (it is their statutory right).
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Choose the amount of care they receive.
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Be protected from excessive or inappropriate caring that impacts on their mental health. and wellbeing.
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Information and advice.