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Young carers

If you are a young carer aged under 18 it's important that you get the support you need.

Support for young carers

If you are a young carer, the support available to you should mean that:

  • you should not have to carry out a regular and substantial amount of caring for a person with disabilities
  • you do not take on similar levels of caring responsibilities as adults

Local Health and Social Care Trusts should make sure that the education, development and general well-being of young carers is not affected by caring responsibilities.

Assessments for young carers

A young person who cares for someone may be entitled to an assessment. Your local Trust has a responsibility to make sure a young carer's well-being is looked after and that they receive necessary support. The local Trust should also make sure that a young person does not get trapped in a role as a carer.

Support at school

There are lots of ways your school can help. You could be allowed to use a phone during breaks and lunchtime so you can check on the person you're looking after. The school could also put you in touch with your local young carers service or get a young carers worker to talk to you or to deliver a lesson at your school. Some schools run lunchtime groups or homework support groups for young carers.

If you're having trouble with school or homework, your teachers may offer:

  • extra time for school work when the person you care for is ill
  • help for your parents to travel to parents’ evenings if they have trouble leaving the house
  • to talk to you privately about your home life
  • homework clubs

Local advice and support

Services including information, respite and individual support for young carers in Northern Ireland are available from Action for Children (telephone 028 9046 0500) and Barnardo's (telephone the Young Carer's Service on 028 7963 4402).

More useful links

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