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7 facts you may not know about young carers

Millie2787Millie2787 Community Champion Posts: 5,194 Part of The Furniture
edited June 2019 in General Chat
As you maybe have all already guessed or already seen @Abigail thread about carers week over in change the world ( if you haven’t do go and take a look it’s a cracker ;) ) This week is carers week and I’ve just come across a  Intresting  article from the children’s society outlining 7 things you may not have known about young carers . Some of you may have known them all, some of you just a few of them or for some of you this may all be new information :) 


1. There are more than 166,000 young carers aged 5-17 in the UK

This figure is based on a 2011 census and does not account for many young people who care for someone but have not yet been identified. The figure is now estimated to be closer to 800,000. On top of this, there are more than 314,000 young adult carers aged 16-24 in England and Wales. 

2. Young carers can be as young as 6 years old

Young carers are defined as a person under 18 who helps look after someone who is ill, disabled or misuses drugs or alcohol. We have worked with young carers who talk about taking on caring responsibilities as young as 6 years old.

3. As many as 27% of young carers aged 11-15 miss school

It's reported that over one quarter of young carers are forced to miss school and experience educational difficulties due to their caring responsibilities. What's more, 39% of young carers said that nobody in their school was even aware of their caring responsibilities. 

4. Young carers deal with things most people don't until they reach adulthood

Young carers' responsibilities vary greatly but many will have to take on difficult roles that many of us may never experience in a lifetime. This may include offering emotional support to parents, managing the family budget, collecting pescription and many more.

5. Over one third of young carers reported having a mental health problem

Research by Carers Trust and the University of Nottingham found that almost a third of young carers reported that their own physical health was 'just OK', whilst 38% reported having a mental health problem.

6. Young carers need more support as they move into adulthood

Only 13% of young carers receive a Young Carers Transition Assessment to support them in adulthood. 

7. There is a festival specifically for young carers

Every year, there is a Young Carers Festivalwhere thousands of young carers get together to have fun, make new friends, and raise awareness of the issues that are important to them. The festival-goers have also been known to break a few world records.

Sometimes all you need is one person to believe in you , for you to begin to believe in yourself.
Post edited by Aoife on
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  • Millie2787Millie2787 Community Champion Posts: 5,194 Part of The Furniture
    edited June 2019
    Have you thought about doing a Q&A or Ask Me Anything type of thread for any questions people might have about young carers? (if you haven't already and I've just not seen it tongue ) 

    @Aidan we did one for YCAD wayyy back in January think we had 2/3 questions , if you scroll through H&W should be in there Ha !
     but could be a possibility to do it again by maybe getting questions collected over this week and answering them next week !
     I shall Ask Abi later on and then bombarded poor mike or Aife with the question later on today or tomorrow ;) 

    At the same time, I imagine missing out on a care-free childhood to fulfill usually adult responsibilities can take a toll.
    Your right it can , that’s why often your come across me as being quite silly and hyper in chats , becuase that’s a hour and half I can be myself . My true self 😂 As Young carers and @Abigail will agree if that there’s so many times where we wish we could just stop and go back to being a teenager , staying out to god knows what time in the morning with no explanation to your parents . It can also put a huge strain on your relationship with your family from a early on age . But guess what we do it becuase we care and we know that what we’re doing it making a world of difference!

    i mean just an example of what my day was like yesterday that By 2pm yesterday 
    ~I had given mum and brothers morning medication
    ~Been to the doctors do request my Mums dads and brothers prescriptions 
    ~Went and got my provisional photo done 
    ~ Did some good shopping 
    ~ unloaded the dishwasher 
    ~ loaded dishwasher
    ~ Hoovered thé House 
    ~Tided thé kitchen 

    Thats a typical example of some of my days but some people’s can be different I do a lot more emotional caring rather than physical :) 
    Sometimes all you need is one person to believe in you , for you to begin to believe in yourself.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Moderator Posts: 1,084 Wise Owl
    edited June 2019
    Hey :heart:

    Thanks for sharing these facts, really interesting to learn more about young carers :heart:
    Post edited by JustV on
  • Former MemberFormer Member Carer/musician Posts: 819 Part of The Mix Family
    @Aidan also carers threads we have you can ask us questions on. The the thread in change the world probably a better place for them this time round but throw them on any NEW carers threads and well answer when we can just tag one of us in them and well try and answer it - aimee deal more with the young carers I deal with young adults carers stuff more. If you dont want to ask here message me or ask in chat. 
  • Millie2787Millie2787 Community Champion Posts: 5,194 Part of The Furniture
    Great Question @Aidan . I’ve been a young carer since I moved house. So would say around about 6 years now so would of been around 12  but have atucally only been registered with my local Young carers service for Will be 4 years in September. It took for the service manager to come and visit my local NHS youth forum I was on at the time to sit and explain about what they are and how we could collaborate together so me to click. So I spoke to him at the end and sent him a email a few days later from which he got me to fill in the self referral from , I had an assessment and 4 years later have partaken in so many different trips and activities for example end of September I will be involved in the 2nd confence I’ve helped to plan where a small group of around 15 Young carers ages between 10-18 plan prepare and deliver a half day conference  with the help of a few staff and it seems this year is my lucky year to chair it 😂
    Sometimes all you need is one person to believe in you , for you to begin to believe in yourself.
  • Millie2787Millie2787 Community Champion Posts: 5,194 Part of The Furniture
    Ahahah I wish I was sat down , means I Attucally have to get on the stage at talk to a room full of people  @Aidan , Yer we do one every 2 years and this year it’s titled YC19: Mental health and me . So it’s all about the impact on our mental health and how they can support us so I think we’ve got some of the local university CAMHS students comings , some pastoral leads from schools have been invited etc 
    Sometimes all you need is one person to believe in you , for you to begin to believe in yourself.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Carer/musician Posts: 819 Part of The Mix Family
    Sorry just catching up on everything. 

    @Aidan good question, not sure about aimee but for me I've grown looking after my family. My first time I realised I was a carers was when I was 8 or 9 and i broke my elbow quite badly so I want able to do as much so my brother did more but I still had to do the medication and other things. I've personally been caring for my family for a long time.

    In July I will no longer known as a young carer (finally be called my age) I'll be joining the adults and young adult carers. It's not easy and it hurt carers who work hard when you get what we call 'fake carers' who just say oh yeah I'm a carer without explaining what they do.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Carer/musician Posts: 819 Part of The Mix Family
    you've been caring nearly all your life? 

    Yep @Aidan always brings up new surprises each day. Like tonight I had a dog with me my mum was asleep early and I had to get my stepdad in bed normally be can do it on his own not today. Ever day is different ... like a game of COD never going to be the same frame by frame play sequence. 

  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 133 The Mix Convert
    This is so interesting to read, thanks to @Abigail and @Millie2787 for sharing your experiences

    My question is do you get any practical support from the young carers service, or is it more emotional support, or a bit of both?
  • Millie2787Millie2787 Community Champion Posts: 5,194 Part of The Furniture
    edited September 18
    Hi @Past User. I would say it’s definitely a lot more emotional support for my service. For me I have the numbers of the 4 key workers that run our service and if I ever need to talk to one of them I can ring or txt them or ring the office. They provide trips for the 3 age ranges ( 7-12, 13-16 and some trips are Split for 17+) during the main school holidays some of these may be day trips others of them can be residential. They also provide us with monthly clubs for the north and south of the county and again there split into the 2 age ranges of 7-12 and 13+. I think a lot of it comes down to not having the staff for our service to provide practical support as ours has 4 workers to cover the whole of the county and each one of those workers are key workers plus another job like education link worker or line manager etc . Hope this kind of answers your questions I’ve waffled on abit 😂
    Post edited by TheMix on
    Sometimes all you need is one person to believe in you , for you to begin to believe in yourself.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Carer/musician Posts: 819 Part of The Mix Family
    edited September 18
    CarolineV said:

    My question is do you get any practical support from the young carers service, or is it more emotional support, or a bit of both?
    Aimee answered it a lot better on for the young carers than what I can really express for this @Past User. When I was in the system it was more giving the young carers the time to be a young person not really practical and emotional support. 

    The adult support offers both emotional and physical support in my area. So I'm blessed to have a great support worker (we are bad for meeting up though never at the same centre) she supports me with the paperwork we do (ESA and PIP) talks me through the process. Generally gives me the space I need and a friend to talk to. Take a look in changing the world post at the bottom there is links and stuff you might find helpful. 

    Speak soon
    Abi
    Post edited by TheMix on
  • Millie2787Millie2787 Community Champion Posts: 5,194 Part of The Furniture
    As carers week draws to a close there’s one thing I ask you all to do - is not to just forgot about us after this week ends but to go out and carry on spreading awareness however little or big of unpaid carers of any age ❤️
    Sometimes all you need is one person to believe in you , for you to begin to believe in yourself.
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