What is a young carer?
A young carer is a person aged between 4 and 25 who helps to look after someone in the family at home because they are disabled, have been ill for a long time, have a mental health problem or a problem with alcohol or drugs. They may care alone or as part of a family.
What do young carers do?
A young carer may spend time doing things like cooking, cleaning and shopping. They may also give medicines and tablets to the person they look after or help them to wash or get dressed. Some may help their brothers or sisters to get dressed and take them to school. Some young carers may not do any of these things but they may worry about the person with the illness or disability.
Because of doing these things young carers can sometimes feel tired and not always be able to concentrate on their school work or homework, or they can be worried or feel stressed.
What is the young carer's card?
The young carer's card is for young carers who are having problems at school because they are looking after someone at home.
Young carers can carry the card with them at school and they can show the card to teachers when they are having problems.
The card is for young carers who are unable to or find it difficult to:
- Arrive at school on time if they need to take younger siblings to school first
- Stay after school without prior warning
- Finish homework on time due to caring responsibilities
Or need to:
- Carry a mobile phone (on silent) so they can keep in contact with the person they care for
- Leave early so they can collect younger brothers or sisters
The card is the size of a credit card and has the name and photograph of the young carer on the front. The back of the card lists the particular allowances being made for that particular young carer.
Cards last until the end of a school year. So, young carers will need to apply for one each September.
If during the school year, the young person’s circumstances change and different allowances need to be made, the young person can apply for a new card at any time.
Criteria for access
The cards are for any carer who may need support to stay in school. A leaflet can be downloaded here or obtained from any secondary school in the Sunderland area.
You can contact Sunderland Carers Centre for more information on 0191 549 3768 but applications must be made through your school.