What is a Young Carer?

What is a Young Carer or Young Adult Carer?
A Young or Young Adult Carer is a child or young person, whose life has been affected by looking after a family member who has one or more of the following:

Long Term or Terminal illness
Mental ill health
Physical disability
Learning disability
Drug or Alcohol Use

What do Young Carers do?

Domestic chores - cleaning, cooking, shopping.
Personal care - washing, dressing, toileting.
Family responsibilities - caring for younger siblings, managing money, paying domestic bills.
Medical care - administer medication/injections, moving and handling or operating mobility aids.
Emotional support for other family members and the person(s) they care for.

How does this affect them?

Educationally – Late for, or miss school, difficulty in completing homework on time, hard to concentrate in class.
Emotionally – Targeted by bullies, experience high levels of anxiety in respect of cared for person’s health.
Physically - exhaustion as a result of interrupted sleep, physical injuries from repeatedly having to support or move someone with poor mobility.
Socially - Difficulties in making or maintaining friendships, difficulties in attending out of school activities.

Recent statistics revealed that 6,785 young people identified themselves as Young Carers in Fife.

This means Approximately 1 in 8 young people will have a caring role at some point in their life. (Fife Pupilwise Survey 17/18)