How do I identify a young carer?

If you work with children and young people, some of the signs that someone is a young carer are:

• Anxiety or concern over ill/disabled relative.
• Needs to be in constant touch with home. 
• Often late or misses days or weeks off school or youth group for no apparent reason – secretive about home life.
• Often tired, withdrawn or stressed.
• Isolated or a victim of bullying – either because of the situation in the family or because they lack social skills when with their peers. May take on a caring role with younger children. In contrast, they may be confident with adults.
• Behavioural problems – there is often a big difference between the young person who seems "mature beyond their years" in their home environment where they are very protective of a disabled relative, and the young person who takes out their pent-up frustration or stress at school or youth group.
• Suffers from back pain due to lifting.