Young carers often lack key information about health conditions of family member/s they are caring for, and may also experience health problems themselves as a result of their caring duties.

How to identify and help a young carer if you work with adults

Whenever you work with a client who has a care need due to their disability, illness or a substance misuse problem, ask yourself who is looking after that person at home.

Some individuals care needs will be met by an adult carer or other professionals but, as the census has shown, in tens of thousands of cases, a child is the primary carer.

To identify individuals supported by a young carer, ask clients the following questions:

• Who helps to care for you at home?
• Do you have children?
• What effects do you feel that your help problem has on them?
• How much do they help out?
• Do you feel that you need more support as a parent?
• Do you think that your children need more support?

Once you have identified a young person with caring responsibilities, a young carer, you may be able to help them in the following ways:

• Approach them in an age appropriate and sensitive way – don’t assume that even those who outwardly appear mature and confident feel the same on the inside.
• Talk to them about how they feel – whilst young carers spend most of their time looking after someone at home, they may be the person who knows least about the health condition of the cared for person.
• Try to encourage your client to explain their health condition to their children; they may need your support in doing so.
• Give young carers the information they need to answer questions they may have which can include – can I catch it, will it happen to me too, what caused it, was it my fault, can I do anything to make them better, will they get worse or die, what should I do in an emergency?
• Assess/consider the needs of the whole family; this is often the best way to establish and provide help for the young carer.
• Talk to them about SYC and the services we provide, with the young carer and their parents permission you can then refer them to our service using our Referral Form.