Young carers
What is a young carer?
Young carers are children and young people who are the main carers of a relative with a long-term illness or disability. Estimates of the number of young carers in the UK vary between 15,000 and 50,000.
Young carers can face serious caring responsibilities - as well as the daily tasks they complete for their parents such as housework, cooking and bathing, they live with the added pressure of school and, often, a lack of understanding from schoolmates.
Hackney Council provide recreational respite, advocacy, a befriending service and therapeutic support to young people who have caring responsibilities for a relative with a long-term illness or disability.
Young carers have the same rights as older carers. They can also be considered 'children in need' under the Children's Act 1989 depending upon whether or not the local authority considers the child's caring role as preventing him/her from achieving or maintaining a reasonable standard of social opportunities and achieving full school attendance.
What help is available?
If you are a carer aged 5 - 18, who is providing care to an adult over 18 years you should contact the Young Carers Project.
The project offers young carers and their families -
- support, information and advice
- recreational breaks
- a befriending service
- individual advice and support
- the opportunity to meet other carers
- regular trips and activities
- therapeutic support
For more information
Contact the Young Carers Project at Action for Children or the Access and Assessment Team
Benefits rights advice
- Visit the Direct Gov website for information on carers' benefits.
- To see whether you can apply for other benefits visit the Turn2us website.
- For general advice in Hackney visit the Hackney Directory pages.
Page updated: 25 Oct 2011
.