Young People as Carers
Wandsworth Council's Young Carers Offer
A young carer is someone up to the age of 18 who cares for a family member or friend with an illness, disability, mental health condition or addiction without being paid. A young adult carer is an unpaid carer who is aged up to 25 years old.
There are different rights and support available for young carers and for young adult carers.
Your rights
As a young carer or a young adult carer you have a right to be supported and to get the help you need. You have these rights whether you look after someone every day or from time to time, or if you do a lot or a little caring.
You might need support if you do a caring role that:
• Makes you feel worried, sad or lonely
• Makes your health worse
• Means that you miss out on time with friends
• Means you do worse at school, college or university
• Stops you getting a job or keeping a job
• Stops you wanting to achieve your goals for the future
There is a wide range of support available for Young Carer’s in the borough from Wandsworth Council’s Young Carers Project and Wandsworth Carers Centre. Additionally, there are online resources that can help you get support:
Your needs
Your needs are important, and there is a legal duty for councils to assess whether you may need support.
To do this, a professional will have a discussion with you, known as an assessment, to understand your situation and identify how best you can be supported. The support offered is about making sure you stay well, can fully reach your potential in education and other learning opportunities, and have opportunities to take part in activities and have fun. Young carers can refer themselves, or be referred by other people, for example a health professional, teacher, youth worker or family members using the multi-agency referral form.
Social workers and Early Help practitioners can also complete the specialist service request form on Mosaic to request the Young Carer’s Service. Referrals are reviewed weekly at the Adolescent Resource Meeting (ARM), and consultations are arranged where appropriate before young people are invited to the group.
Wandsworth Council’s Young Carers Project
- Support for young carers aged 8 – 17 years who help look after a family member
- Help to understand rights, access support and prevent caring responsibilities impacting health or education
- Entitlement to an assessment to identify needs and appropriate support
- Weekly group sessions through the Wandsworth Young Carers Project during term time
- Regular activities and trips including the Wandsworth HAF Programme
- A safe space to take a break from caring, have fun and meet other young carers
Wandsworth Young Carers forms part of the wider network of services available to young people and families in Wandsworth: Family Information Service | Young People as Carers
Wandsworth Carers Centre
The Wandsworth Carers Centre supports Young Carers aged 5-18 years old, in their caring role, to have a life outside of caring and to have a voice. With offices in both Wandsworth and Balham, we are able to deliver our services throughout the Borough.
Visit the Wandsworth Carers Centre for more information
Wandsworth Carer’s Charter 2024 – 2027
The Carer’s Charter 2024 – 2027 was created in partnership with Wandsworth’s Adult Social Care and Public Health, Wandsworth Children’s Services, NHS, Wandsworth Carer’s Centre and unpaid carers. The Charter has four key pillars: Working Together, Health and Wellbeing, A Life Alongside Caring, and Young Carers:
As part of our commitment to children and young people who provide care to a member of their family, the Young Carers Pledge has the following statements:
- I have the opportunity to meet other Young Carers who are in a similar situation to me.
- I am able to access age-appropriate help to look after my own mental and physical health.
- I am supported to maintain my friendships, interests and hobbies outside of my caring role.
- Teachers and staff understand the impact that caring can have on my studies and help me to feel supported I am supported in moving seamlessly from child to adult services.
Contact
