You may feel helpless about your situation. No one chooses illness or disability. However it is important to remember that, while you can’t change your family circumstances, there may be things you can do which will help.

There is a lot you can do to help your child. Read this page, or email us for confidential advice.

If you as a family are receiving adequate support, your child should not have to take on inappropriate caring responsibilities.

• Firstly, make sure that you get the help you are entitled to as a family:
  
  See What help can I get as a parent? Make sure that any professional involved with the family knows that there is a young person in a caring role. People such as GPs, hospital specialists, health visitors, nurses, social workers, youth workers, connexions workers, teachers, school counsellors and so on, may be able to offer help and support if they know the situation.
  
  
• Ask Social Services for a carers’ assessment for your child when the person they care for is being assessed for services.


Young carers may miss out on going out and socialising because they worry about someone while they are out.


• Find out if there is a young carers’ service near you that offers young carers breaks, activities and someone to talk to as well as giving you the advice and information you need in confidence. They may also be able to give you advice and information about the kind of help your family might be able to get. They should also be able to refer you to other professionals who can help. You can usually find one by doing an internet search for “young carers” and the name of your nearest town or city. If there is no young carers’ service near you, your local youth service may be able to help.
• If you can, be open with your child and tell them what is going on, keeping them in the picture can allay their fears. Involve them in discussions with professionals if appropriate so that they can understand and ask questions themselves.
• Encourage your child to talk to someone they trust, such as a young carers’ worker, a relative or a member of staff at their school. Some young carers’ services have befrienders or mentors who can get to know and support your child on a one to one basis.
• Try to find some time each week when you can spend time with your child doing something they enjoy and make sure your child has time to have fun, to pursue their own interests and just be themselves! They may just need your encouragement to go out more.