Young carers
Do you help someone in your family because they are ill, disabled, have a mental health difficulty or struggle with alcohol or drugs? You might be a young carer. You may do practical jobs, help someone communicate or spend a lot of time worrying about them.
Select a caring role to see a practical starting point. You can always contact the service if your situation is more complex or does not fit neatly into one box.
Explore trusted support at school, time to talk, wellbeing, transitions and a route into specialist young carer support.
A teacher, school pastoral worker, GP or another trusted adult can help you find support. You can say: “I help look after someone at home and it is affecting me.” You do not need to have all the answers before asking.
A local young carer service may offer someone to talk to, activities and help connecting your family with other support. Ask about the ages and area it covers. Support should consider what you need and whether adults need more help so that too much is not left to you.
You can ask who will see what you share, whether someone will contact your family and what happens next. If someone is worried that you or another person could be harmed, they may need to involve people who can help keep you safe.
Choose one trusted adult and tell them one thing you would like help with. In immediate danger, call 999.
Not sure where to begin?
