What is a young carer?
Often, when someone has an illness, disability, drug, alcohol or mental health issues, children or young people within the family may undertake a significant caring role. This can include providing direct care, for example assisting with:
- Domestic tasks – cooking, shopping, cleaning, laundry, DIY.
- Personal care – washing/bathing, shaving, toileting, dressing.
- Feeding or encouraging to eat and drink..
- Administering medication or providing other medical care.
- Providing emotional support, keeping someone company or ensuring someone is safe.
- Managing challenging, unusual or unpredictable behaviour.
- Translation and interpretation.
Children and young people may also help provide care to someone other than the person who has the illness/disability, therefore providing "care" also extends to assisting with the care of siblings.
Where children or young people undertake on a regular basis, tasks which would normally be carried out by an adult, they may be considered a young carer. Young carers are defined as Children in Need under the Children (NI) Order 1995 and are therefore are entitled to support.
Being a young carer can impact negatively upon children and young people’s:
- Physical Health
- Emotional Wellbeing
- Attendance and/or concentration at school
- Academic attainment
- Opportunities to socialise with their peers
Many young carers report being bullied, feeling isolated and feeling different from their friends.
