Who is a carer?

A carer is someone of any age who provides unpaid support to family or friends who could not manage without this help. This could be caring for a relative, partner or friend who is ill, frail, disabled or has mental health or substance misuse problems.

 

Anyone can become a carer; carers come from all walks of life, all cultures and can be of any age. Many feel they are doing what anyone else would in the same situation; looking after their mother, son, or best friend and just getting on with it.

 

Carers don’t choose to become carers: it just happens and they have to get on with it; if they did not do it, who would and what would happen to the person they care for?

 

What is a young carer?

Young carers are children and young people who look after someone in their family who has an illness, 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. The tasks undertaken 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, helping with toileting needs.

• Managing the family budget, collecting benefits and prescriptions.

• Administering medication.

• Looking after or “parenting” 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.