YOUNG CARERS
We offer a service for children and young people who have caring responsibilities in their homes.
We work with children and young people who care for:
- A brother or sister
- A parent
- A grandparent
- Or anyone else
The person who is being cared for may have:
- Physical disabilities
- Mental health issues
- Drug or alcohol addiction
- Or other difficulties
Some of the roles the young carer may have been giving include:
- Practical help, like doing housework
- Emotional support, like listening and comforting
- Personal care, like washing the person they care for
What do we provide?
Often, young carers most welcome the opportunity just to meet other young carers; to be with other young people who share and understand their difficulties and with whom they can swap thoughts and ideas.
So we provide:
- A free newsletter called CHILL every season and the opportunity to help write it by attending a monthly newsletter group with other young carers
- Group trips all through the year, because the Young Carers Service is all about having loads of fun and having a break. All the activities are free and transport is provided free of charge if you need it. We do a big range of activities including going to the cinema, bowling, abseiling, camping, canoeing, arts and crafts and loads more
- Individual Awards, which are little bits of money we can give to young carers who would like to have a break but not in a group. It is for young carers who would not normally be able to go on holiday or have a break. It can be with or without the person you care for. It could be put towards a family holiday, a school trip, a treat like the cinema or to pay for a regular activity
- One-to-one sessions, when a worker from the Young Carers Service will spend about an hour with you, talking, giving you information and practical tips. We offer up to 6 sessions. They are designed to help you deal with the extra pressures of caring for someone in your family. The first session will be finding out about what you would like to talk about and the last one will look back at everything you've done. We can also advocate for you, which means making sure your voice is heard when you have something to say to others. For example, at school or about the person you care for
- Information and support to help young carers make informed choices, and practical help to put plans into action
For professionals we provide:
- School assemblies and information for teachers, which we present at staff meetings
- Speaking at team meetings or other suitable forums to talk about the service and how to refer young carers
- Advice and resources on young carers' issues
- Training around young carers and their issues
Examples of how young carers have been supported
Everything the Young Carers Service provides is optional. That means young carers choose if they want to get involved. Here are some examples of how people have been supported:
- Steve and Ian helped look after their mum who is in a wheel chair. Their family wasn't able to afford a holiday, so the Young Carers service gave them an individual award to go to a holiday home in Wales for a week, and applied for extra funding so the whole family could get there and back. They had a fantastic time and even the weather was sunny so they could swim in the sea
- Ben and Kate look after their brother who has autism and their Dad who can't walk very well. They come to loads of the trips. Their mum was really grateful because she knew that without the Young Carers service they wouldn't have got a break at all. Ben and Kate had loads of fun and made new friends
- Becky was being bullied at school so she had some one-to-one sessions with our Young Carers service. We spoke to the school for her and so she got much more support. The bullying stopped and Becky learnt how to be more assertive and confident in future
- Vicky comes to the newsletter group because she cares for her mum who has severe depression. She has fun, eats lots of nice food, makes new friends and gets her drawings and poems printed
These are made up case studies based on work with actual young carers.
Who are we here for?
- For all children and young people with caring responsibilities, and their families, who live or study in Bath and North East Somerset
- For local professionals wanting access to advice and resources
- For anyone concerned about a young carer
How to contact us
RELEVANT LINKS
For young carers:
www.youngminds.org.uk/youngcarers/
www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/onelife/personal/families/real_youngcarer.shtml
For professionals:
http://www.yci.org.uk/youngcarers