A young carer is anyone who regularly undertakes one or more of the tasks below:
Take responsibility for shopping for food for the family
Make main meals for the family
Wash or iron clothes for other people you live with
Help with financial matters such as dealing with bills, banking, collecting benefits.
Help with paperwork e.g. writing letters for someone, filling in forms
Interpret, sign or use another communication system for the person you care for.
Interpret for someone you live with because English is not their first language.
Go to the doctor or hospital with the person you care for
Making appointments/being main point of contact for the cared for person’s GP
Help the person you care for with their medication e.g. making sure he/she takes their pills, giving injections, changing dressings
Help the person you care for to dress or undress
Help the person you care for to have a wash, bath or shower
Help the person you care for to walk, get up the stairs, get into and out of bed
Help the person you care for use the toilet
Take brothers or sisters to school
Look after brothers or sisters on your own
Being a carer can have a profound effect on young people’s lives. The impacts of being a carer can include:
Missing sleep (e.g. have to get up in the night or stay up late), taking care of someone at night.
Because of caring duties at home, being absent or late for work or classes.
Because of caring duties at home, missing out on work and events at school.
Because of caring duties at home, not having time to hang out with my friends.
Because of caring not having enough time to take care of my own needs.
Having to do things that make me upset.
Feeling stressed.
Feeling very lonely.
Feeling like I can’t cope.
