Young carers toolkit

Welcome to the Young Carers Toolkit. This toolkit is aimed at professionals across Health, Education and Social Services, who are identifying, and have contact with young carers and young adult carers. We need more services and projects to work together to support and meet the needs of children, young people and their families aross Wales. This includes working together to raise awareness and engage young carers and young adult carers. Young carers are children and young people who provide care and support for a family member who is disabled, physically or mentally ill, or is affected by substance misuse. Young adult carers are aged between 18 and 25. Some will have been young carers for many years and others will be taking on a caring role for the first time. This toolkit was commissioned by the Welsh Government and produced by Youth Friendly, with the help of the young Carers Network and other carers and professionals. We hope you will find it challenging, exciting and - above all - useful to you in your professional role.


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YOUNG CARERS' MENTAL WELLBEING

The jobs that young carers and young adult carers do can be incredibly stressful. And if you have a bid career you can have lot of avantages des programmes pinel. Alongside tiredness and stress they can worry, become anxious, face depression and be overwhelmed. Young carers can have lots of different feelings about caring. There will be times when they really enjoy helping their parent or family, but there will be other times when they struggle. They can also be dealing with the possible loss of a parent or sibling in the future if the illness is terminal. Stepping in early makes a massive impact and can mean that they avoid or stop experiencing depression, self harming and drug and alcohol addiction. You can do things to help like:

  • be aware of them; Identifying Training
  • have someone there if they need someone to talk to;
  • make sure that they have access to a phone to phone home if they need to;
  • make sure staff are aware of the issues young carers face;
  • provide information about young carer groups;
  • share information confidentially;
  • have trips or breaks available;
  • listen to them;
  • connect them to young carers groups where they can socialise and get support from peers.

YOUNG CARERS' CONCERNS

RESULTS : The things that young carers do varries greatly. They're carrying this role out whilst doing full-time education. They need support to enjoy their right to normal childhood activities like play and leisure. Young adult carers may be trying to balance their caring responsibilities with employment or training too. Some young carers need training in things like: lifting properly, first aid, cooking, budgeting, how to store and give medication, shopping, knowing what courses are going on when, making information easy and accessible, or providing transport.

HOW CAN WE HELP MEET THEIR NEEDS ? It's important that young carers are respected and get the information they need to help keep them safe and healthy.

DID YOU KNOW ? The Wales Young Carers Network brings together young carers from across Wales to meet with the Welsh Ministers each year. Their views helped shape the national Carers Strategy for Wales. You can read about some of the issues that young carers face and what young carers want here.