Young carer
You’re a young carer if you’re a child or a young person under 18 years of age, who helps to look after or provide care support for someone in your family who has a disability, an illness, a mental health condition, or a problem with drugs or alcohol.
You could be supporting the care of a parent, a grandparent, a brother or sister, or someone living as a member of your family. You could be taking on the practical and/or emotional caring responsibility usually associated with an adult.
The help you give may include shopping, making meals, doing the laundry, cleaning the house or nursing care, such as giving medication or lifting someone up and down stairs, or in and out of bed. Maybe you give your time just to be with someone when they need company.
There are a number of organisations and services that can support you, from providing information and advice, to helping you to access activities and trips.
Richmond Carers Centre - Young Carers Service
The Young Carers Service is run by Richmond Carers Centre and provides:
- Information and support for young carers living in the London Borough of Richmond
- Young carers activity and support groups
- Activities and group trips during the school holidays
- One-to-one support for young carers
- Referral of young carers and their families to other carer support agencies.
To contact the Young Carers Support Worker call 020 8867 2383 or email youngcarers@richmondcarers.org.
Richmond Carers Centre – Young Carers Schools Liaison
The Young Carers Schools Liaison service is also run by Richmond Carers Centre and provides:
- Support to schools to support young carers
- Support to schools to identify young carers
- Information relating to young carers in education
- Awareness information and training workshops about young carers to school staff and education professionals.
To contact the Young Carers Schools Liaison Worker telephone 020 8867 2384 or email ycschools@richmondcarers.org.
Princess Royal Trust for Carers
The Princess Royal Trust for Carers runs YC Net a web based service offering advice and information to young carers and their parents on many aspects of caring.
Useful contacts
- Richmond Council’s Youth Service web pages contain information and advice for young people, as well as things to do in the borough
- Access provides a free information service for anyone living in the borough who has a child or young person with a disability or additional need. They also offer information for siblings and young carers. Call 0845 6048348 or email info@accessinfoservice.com
The Carers Directory
(pdf, 598KB) contains more information on all aspects of caring.