Who are young carers?

A young carer is a person between 5-18 years who provides or intends to provide care to another person, unless under a contract or as voluntary work.

Young carer’s provide care to a relative (in their homes) who have an illness, disability, mental health condition, or problematic drug or alcohol use. The care that they need to provide will be regular and will be needed to ensure the health, safety or wellbeing of the person they are caring for. The responsibility for this care would usually be done by an adult and goes beyond the day to day help that children would give as part of living in a family.

What types of caring do young carers do?

• Practical tasks such as cooking, housework and shopping
• Physical care like helping someone get out of bed, walk, and lift things
• Personal care such as helping someone bath and get dressed
• Helping with the family budgeting, shopping
• Helping to administer medicine or collect prescriptions
• Helping someone communicate
• Emotional support, for example supporting someone who is distressed
• Looking after siblings