Young Carers

Do you look after a relative? Help at home? Find it hard to go out without feeling guilty? Did you answer YES? You’re not alone! Don’t stay silent! Need help or just a friendly chat? Someone is there to help not judge!

A young carer is any child or young person under 18 whose life is affected significantly by the impact of caring for a family member with a disability, chronic illness or dependency on drugs or alcohol.

"Affected significantly" ranges from the absence of ordinary childhood experience for very young children, to the need for older children to take extraordinary roles and responsibilities.

You may know what it’s like to do the housework or the shopping, or to look after a relative who is sick, elderly, disabled or has mental health needs.

You may know what it’s like to take care of someone older than yourself who would usually take care of you, but can’t because they are upset or feeling down.

You may know what it’s like to miss school, or not be able to go out with friends because there are things that have to be done – and there is nobody else to do them.

You may know that sometimes it’s hard to be away from your relative for even a short time without feeling worried or guilty.

Young carers should be able to....

Like all young people, young carers need the chance to grow up in their own time and to be free to enjoy the experience of growing up that other children and young people take for granted...

• time out with friends
• time to be alone
• time to be ill
• holidays
• time for rest and leisure
• time for homework
• hopes and plans for the future
• education
• opportunities to be outrageous
• someone to care for them

At Young Carers...

We can give friendly advice about all sorts of things that may worry you as a young carer.

You can tell us about your problems and difficulties and we will listen. Maybe you would like us to meet your family so that we can help sort out problems together.

We can help you to see that you are not alone. Maybe you would like to meet other young carers who will understand exactly how you feel.

We can help to arrange for you to have some free time to do things that are important to you now and things that you would like to do in the future.

If you are a young carer and would like more information about the Young Carers Project please contact us at:

Wirral Young Carers
Leasowe Millenium Centre
Twickenham Drive
Leasowe
Wirral
CH46 1PQ

Telephone: 0151 606 5656  Fax:  0151 638 0389

Email: wirralyc@pss.org.uk

If you have any thoughts about this website or any information that could be useful then please contact us.