What is a young carer?
We understand that family life can sometimes feel overwhelming, and every household faces its own challenges. When a child or young person helps to support a loved one, their role is incredibly important, but it can also come with pressures that are sometimes invisible from the outside. At Shropshire Young Carers, we’re here to offer understanding, reassurance, and support. We believe that no young person should feel that they have to cope alone, and we’re here to make sure that they're recognised, valued, and given the space to thrive, both at home and in their own lives.
What is a young carer?
A young carer is a child or young person who helps to look after someone in their family who has an illness, disability, mental health condition, or struggles with drug or alcohol use. Many children don’t realise that they're 'carers', they simply see what they do as part of everyday family life. But their responsibilities often go beyond what’s typically expected for their age, and it’s important that they're recognised and supported.
Young carers can be any age, and every situation looks different. Some children provide occasional help, while others take on daily responsibilities that can feel quite grown up.
Sibling young carers
When a child has a brother or sister with additional needs, their world can feel very different to that of their friends. Sibling young carers often grow up with a mix of emotions, some uplifting, others more difficult, and all of them completely normal.
They may feel proud when their sibling reaches a new milestone, protective when things feel challenging, or happy when they're able to help. But they may also sometimes feel worried, embarrassed, frustrated, jealous, tired, or sad. Some tell us they feel anxious about how their sibling might behave that day, or unsure how to explain their home life to others. These feelings can sit side by side, and it’s important that children know none of them mean they love their brother or sister any less.
Sibling young carers often play a quiet but incredibly important role within their family. They might help around the home, watch over a younger brother or sister, or offer comfort to a parent who is feeling overwhelmed. Even tasks that seem small, such as fetching items, helping with routines, keeping an eye on things, can be a huge support to the adults caring for the child with additional needs. This is caring too, and it deserves to be recognised.
For many families, everyday activities can be harder to manage. Days out might need to be cancelled at the last minute, routines may revolve around medical or behavioural needs, and inviting friends over can sometimes feel impossible. These changes can make children feel different from their peers or left out of the things their friends take for granted.
Yet despite all of this, most siblings tell us the same thing:
They wouldn’t change their brother or sister — they just want others to understand what life is like for them.
They want people to see the effort they put in, the patience they show, and the strength they carry. Their caring role may look different from the support adults provide, but it's no less real, valid, or valuable.
What might a young carer do?
Young carers may help with practical, emotional, or personal tasks. For example, they might:
- Collect prescriptions or help make sure medication is taken on time
- Support younger siblings, getting them ready, helping at bedtime, or doing school runs
- Prepare meals for themselves or the family
- Do regular housework, such as cleaning, laundry, or shopping
- Attend appointments with the person they care for
- Provide emotional support, listening, comforting, and helping to keep the household calm
Some young carers do a little of these things; others take on quite a lot. Every family is unique.
How caring can affect children
There are around 650 known young carers in Shropshire, although we believe many more remain hidden because caring simply feels 'normal' to them. Caring can be incredibly rewarding — many young carers tell us it teaches them empathy, patience, and resilience. But it can also be tiring, overwhelming, or isolating at times.
Young carers might:
- Feel lonely or miss out on clubs, activities, or invitations after school
- Struggle with tiredness from balancing caring with school
- Worry about homework or not having enough time to finish tasks
- Feel stressed trying to juggle caring, school, friendships, and family life
- Feel different from their peers and unsure who to talk to
- Experience bullying or unkindness because others don’t understand their situation
Young carers consistently tell us the same thing:
They want to be treated like any other child or young person — just with a little extra understanding.
Signs that a child might be a young carer
Parents, schools, or professionals may notice that a child:
- Seems anxious about leaving home
- Is often tired or distracted
- Has irregular attendance at school
- Takes on responsibilities beyond what’s typical for their age
- Worries about a parent or sibling’s wellbeing
- Withdraws socially or avoids making plans
These may be gentle indicators that extra support could make a difference.
What can help?
If you’re a parent, carer, or professional, you’re not alone. Support is available. Reach out and connect. Talking to someone can make a huge difference. A good place to start is:
- Contacting the Shropshire Young Carer Support Team through First Point of Contact on 0345 678 9021
- Speaking with your child’s teacher, school pastoral team, or another trusted adult