What do they do?

The sort of things a young carer may do are:

  • Collecting prescriptions and/or helping to make sure the person they look after takes their medication
  • Assisting in looking after younger brothers or sisters
  • Cooking meals
  • Doing regular housework
  • Accompanying the person they help care for to appointments
  • Providing emotional support – being there to listen

What sorts of things worry a young carer?

There are around 650 known young carers in Shropshire, but there are probably lots more children and young people who are caring, but just see this as being part of a family.

Helping to look after or ‘care’ for someone can be rewarding, but tiring too. It can affect schoolwork and seeing friends, and knowing who you can speak to is really important.

Young carers may:

  • Feel lonely or not be able to join clubs or after school play dates
  • Feel tired from having too much to do
  • Worry about time to do homework
  • Feel worried about fitting everything into the day – caring, school, homework
  • Feel they don’t fit in – they feel different to other young people
  • Being bullied at school

Young carers tell us they want to be treated like any other child or young person.

What may help?

Connect with others - speak with a teacher or contact the Shropshire Young Carer Support team directly and talk about your concerns. We want to make sure that someone is looking out for you.