Young Carers

At Stella Maris we recognise how important it is to support all of our families and understand that family life is not always easy. We have recently tried to identify all our Young Carers, children who take on responsibility for caring for someone at home. This may be a sibling, parent, grandparent, auntie or uncle. Any child can be a Young Carer and we know the importance of the support they receive and the importance of knowing they are not alone.

A Young Carer is a young person under the age of 18 who is caring unpaid for a family member who has a physical illness, has a physical disability, a mental health condition, or misuses substances. This can be a parent, sibling, grandparent, in fact any member of their family.

A Young Carer quite often takes on responsibilities that would normally be expected of an adult. Research suggests in the UK there are as many as 1 in 5 children in high school who are Young Carers.  Many do not realise they are a Young Carer. No matter how big or small their caring role, many Young Carers say that it has an impact on their wellbeing as they spend a lot of time worrying about their loved ones when they are not with them.

For many Young Carers, caring can have positive and rewarding aspects, however we know that many Young Carers may need extra support to enjoy, achieve and reach their full potential in school.  This can only happen if they are supported effectively. In order to do this we are working closely with IMAGO to achieve the Young Carers in School Award. 

If you feel that your child maybe a young carer , you can use the link below to refer your child.

https://www.imago.community/young-carers-services/young-carers-services