Being a young carer means helping to look after someone in your family who needs support because of an illness, disability, mental health condition, addiction, or other long-term challenge.
Every young carer’s situation is different. Some young people help occasionally, whilst others provide support every day.
Being a young carer can bring unique responsibilities and experiences that many of your friends may not fully understand.
Many young carers develop skills and qualities that will benefit them throughout their lives. Young carers often become:
Many young carers are incredibly proud of the support they provide to the people they care about.
Helping a loved one can create strong family bonds and a sense of achievement.
Whilst caring can be rewarding, it can also be difficult at times. Young carers may experience:
It is completely normal to feel frustrated, overwhelmed, or upset from time to time.
These feelings do not make you a bad person or a bad carer.
Many young carers work hard to balance their caring responsibilities with education.
You may sometimes:
If caring is affecting your education, support may be available through your school, college, or local young carers service.
You deserve the same opportunities as every other young person.
Being a young carer can sometimes make it harder to spend time with friends.
You may:
Staying connected with friends and having opportunities to relax and enjoy yourself is important for your wellbeing.
When you’re helping someone else, it’s easy to forget about yourself. Your wellbeing matters too. Try to:
Looking after yourself helps you stay healthy, happy, and resilient.
Many young carers try to manage everything on their own.
You don’t have to.
Support is available from:
Asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness.
One of the best ways to feel supported is by meeting other young carers. Talking to people who understand your experiences can help you:
Many young carers tell us that meeting others in a similar situation has a positive impact on their lives.
Thousands of young people across the UK help care for someone at home.
Whilst your caring responsibilities may sometimes feel overwhelming, there are people who understand what you’re going through and want to help.
North Staffs Carers is here to support young carers and help ensure you have the opportunities, support, and experiences that every young person deserves.
Whether you need advice, support, counselling, activities, or simply someone to talk to, help is available.
