A young carer is somebody aged under 18 who looks after someone else. You may, for example, be looking after a parent, sibling or another family member who has a disability, serious illness and/or problems with their mental health. What might a young carer do?
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Help with practical tasks, such as cooking, housework and shopping on a daily basis.
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Help with physical care, such as helping someone out of bed or up and down stairs.
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Undertake personal care tasks, such as helping someone get washed and dressed.
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Give emotional support, such as calming someone down who is upset or talking to someone who is distressed.
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Help with managing the family money/ budget and collecting medicines or prescriptions.
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Help to give medication.
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Help with looking after brothers and sisters.
Sometimes being a carer for someone can be really hard. It can mean that you have less time for your own friends, school work, hobbies or interests. You may be taking on extra household chores, sorting out medications, helping someone to wash, or comforting someone, to name but a few tasks.
If you are caring for someone, you may need to ask for help and talk to someone who can support you. In Northumberland we have services to support you that are run by specialist workers who can give advice. This means you can get help and access activities that you might enjoy in your spare time.
carersnorthumberland.org.uk
http://www.northumberland.gov.uk/Children/Young/Young-carers.aspx#onlinesupportandadvice
childrenssociety.org.uk