As a service we offer all our Young Carers support in and out of schools. These include social groups with other young carers, allowing them to be kids away from their caring role as well as meet others who understand what a caring role can be like. It’s not just the advisors who support our young carers, they also support each other. In Isla’s story we find out how the advisors and other young carers have helped her through some tricky times.
Helping with housework and cooking just became too much...
A Family Support Practitioner completed the young carer’s registration for Isla in 2020 when she was 14 years old. Due to mum’s deteriorating mobility, Isla was having to take on more cleaning and cooking responsibilities as well as helping mum to dress and move around the home. Isla has a younger sibling who tried to help, but more often Isla found she was having to tidy up twice (clearing up after her sibling who had tried to cook or tidy!) so found it easier to do most of the things herself.
Mum’s health condition had forced her to give up work and was finding it a strain to manage a home without the regular salary. The Family Support Practitioner was supporting mum to reorganise the finances.
Isla was not enjoying High School. Isla felt her ADHD caused her to be labelled as demanding attention when she felt she just didn’t know how to manage it. Isla also felt that her ADHD and behaviour contributed to her struggling to make friends. Conversations were taking place between mum and school and Isla was expecting to be moved elsewhere, this uncertainty was causing Isla to feel anxious.
Not knowing any other young carers was hard...
During the young carers assessment it was identified that Isla would like to access support from young carers. Isla didn’t know any other young carers to talk to although knew that there were some in her year at school. Isla found it hard to imagine that these people may be living a similar life to her. Respite had to be offered online due to lockdown. Isla admitted she perhaps preferred this as she wasn’t sure if she would feel confident actually walking into a room not knowing anyone, or worse still someone knowing her and not liking her.
Taking the first step...
It took Isla a few months to feel comfortable enough to join an online respite activity. It was attended by 6 other young carers. Isla was quiet at first, kept her camera off but wrote “Hi” in the chat box. During the activity, Isla started to involve herself in the conversation and put her camera on.
Isla told the group she was currently in-between schools, having chosen to wait and start at the new place once lockdown lifted. Isla was asked if she would let her new school know she was a young carer. Isla wasn’t sure so the other young carers in the group offered their advice:
Tell someone, a nice staff member, it doesn’t have to be everyone. At least if someone knows then you can go to them if you need to and you won’t have to tell them everything because they will already know you’re a carer
I agree, let them know. Then it’s your choice if you want support from them
Next steps...
Isla said she was anxious about starting her new school and the waiting at home wasn’t helping. Sure, she had more time to care for her mum but she had too much time to think about stuff too.
Isla has continued to access a monthly online club where she actively participates in conversations with the other participants. Isla started at her new school at the beginning of March. Isla’s Young Carer Adviser will visit she in school after the Easter holidays to discuss what support she would like to receive for the next few months.
Whether you are a Young Carer or a professional working with Young Carers, if you would like more information on our Young People’s Service please get in contact with us.
