Young carers are people under 18 who provide care for another person. This care can include practical or emotional support, and another person can be anyone within the same family, whether they are an adult or child.
The BCP Council Young Carers Service has the following criteria. A BCP young carer must:
- be resident in Bournemouth, Christchurch or Poole
- be between 5 and 18 years of age
- have a caring role for a significant adult or sibling in their family and the significant adult or sibling has a chronic illness, either mental or physical and/or disability (including sensory loss). This will also include drug and alcohol misuse
- be in a situation where there is no other significant adult in the home providing the main caring role, or undertake tasks for siblings, either because a parent is unable to do so due to their ill health or as respite for a parent who has a disabled child
- undertake care and tasks for this significant adult or sibling. The tasks should be over and above what would normally be expected of a young person, e.g. helping the parent with their personal care, getting them up in the morning, getting them washed, dressed, looking after siblings, helping with medication
- the role of caring may be impacting on the young person's emotional and/or physical health, education or social development
Support and services
All young carers are entitled to have a young carers assessment. We can do this with you to help to work out what support you and or your family may need.
Being a young carer can affect people differently and the project has a range of support available, which includes:
- someone to listen and support you outside of the situation at home, who can help work with others to get the support you may need for your family
- linking you in with other support you may not already know about, for instance, in school or at college
- activities where you can meet/talk to other Young Carers while having a break from your responsibilities
We are here to help and if you or a member of your family is a young carer or think you are a young carer and would like more information about young carers get in touch.
For information including how to make a referral please visit our Young carers offer page.