Is there someone at home with a disability, illness, mental health condition, or drug or alcohol problem? Do you have to help a lot, or worry a lot about the person who is unwell? Are you under 18? You could be a young carer.

It is estimated that over 2,000 young people in North Somerset have caring responsibilities at home, so you are not alone. Get in touch to find out more about meeting other young carers and what support is available to you.

Young carers often to a lot of helpful things, such as:

  • Staying in the house a lot to be there for them
  • Helping them to get up, get washed or dressed, or helping with personal care
  • Doing lots of the household chores like shopping, cleaning and cooking
  • Looking after younger brothers and sisters
  • Providing emotional support or a shoulder to cry on.

We know that being a young carer can mean missing out, feeling different to others and sometimes finding life that bit harder.

We recognise too that it can also have an impact on your school life including taking part in out of school activities, behaviour and ability to complete coursework and homework on time.

You may also worry about talking to someone because you worry about things like bullying, letting your family down or being taken into care.

Here's how we support young carers:

Welcome groups

Our welcome groups are available for young carers who are new to the service. These groups help them meet the team and allow us to understand each carer’s individual needs before they join our wider groups.

Holiday workshops

 

These take place during each school holiday and are for young carers in both Primary and Secondary schools to catch up with each other and the friends they have made. They might be chilled out, where we just have fun and games, or might tackle a serious topic such as anxiety or sleep.

Day trips

It might be a trip to the theatre, a day of karting, a visit to the zoo or a picnic on the beach and provides a break from your caring role and a chance to meet other young carers.

Trips away

We run residential weekends for young carers during spring and summer. These weekends give them a longer break from their caring responsibilities.

Advocacy

All young carers can access one-to-one support to help with particular issues.

Young Adult Carers Support

We know that becoming an adult is hard enough, and when you add caring responsibilities into the mix, it can really impact the big decisions you might be making -like moving out on your own, going to university or thinking about your future employment and plans.

If you are a young adult transitioning out of our young carers support service or seeking assistance, please reach out to our adult carers team.

Other sources of support

If you don’t want to speak to us, you can always speak to a teacher that you trust, or maybe your school nurse.

There are also online communities available to Young Carers where you can find others in similar situations, share experiences, and access information and support from expert professionals.

  • Carers.org is a forum for older Young Carers (aged 16-25)
  • You can also contact Childline 08001111 for free confidential advice at any time
How Young Carer services are funded

We receive funding from North Somerset Council to deliver a core support service to Young Carers.

 

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