Young carers - support and advice

Young carers face serious caring responsibilities. As well as the daily tasks completed for their parents such as housework, cooking and bathing; young carers live with the added pressure of school and often a lack of understanding from school friends. The physical and emotional strain is sometimes too much - many skip school and suffer depression. It is currently estimated that one in 12 secondary school children are young carers.

Social care services can offer advice and information as well as other services. Our customer services centre (social care enquiries) can provide you with more detailed information.

Caring for yourself

There are many satisfactions in caring, but it can make great demands on your time, your health and your emotions and can be very exhausting.

If you ever feel under undue pressure and the situation is becoming stressful, please contact your GP, our customer services centre or your local carers' centre for help. Let them know how you feel and that you need help straight away.

For more information on the health issues that can affect carers, see the how can caring affect my health and how can I look after myself? page.

Additional support from organisations in North Yorkshire

In addition to the help and support we can provide, there are many organisations in North Yorkshire which support young carers, including carers' centre and carers' resources. These are organisations whose purpose is to give practical and emotional support to carers. For more details, see the carers' centres in North Yorkshire page.

	Related information from NHS Choices Links to information for young carers on the NHS Choices website. Carers direct - young carers This section of carers direct is for young people who are caring for someone who is ill or disabled. You might have started caring without realising it. The young carerspage will help you work out if you are a carer and how to get help for your family. Carers' lives Information on life as a carer, including all about caring; getting help; and real stories from carers. For more information see the carers' livespage. Stigma and discrimination As a carer, you may feel that people disregard or look down on you because your experience is different from their own. This is known as stigma. If as result of stigma your rights are infringed, this is known as discrimination. For more information see the stigma and discriminationpage. Young carers Two young carers talk about splitting their time between going to school and caring for their parents, and the support they've had from young carers projects. [Content supplied by NHS Choices]