Croydon Support for Young Carers
Around a quarter of a million children and young people under 18 look after a relative in the UK. A young carer is defined as someone under the age of 18 who looks after a family member or friend who has a physical or mental health condition, or misuses drugs or alcohol. They may also look after brothers, sisters or elderly relatives too.
Some examples of the tasks young carers undertake for other relatives are: practical household jobs, personal and intimate care, help with dressing and getting around, going to appointments, dealing with paperwork, acting as an interpreter, emotional support, helping to care for younger siblings. The impact of this on children and young people can be significant and affect many areas of everyday life.
The Off The Record Young Carers Service in Croydon is a free and friendly service offering support to young people (aged 7 - 25) who are caring for a parent or sibling. The Young Carers Service offers a wide range of activities:
- Trips and Activities for all ages during the holidays to help you take a break, have fun and meet other young carers.
- Emotional Support and Counselling offers you one-to-one emotional support and confidential counselling sessions to help you with any issues you may be facing.
- Educational Support provides you with help around any issue to do with school, college or training.
- Family Support for your parents, where appropriate. We also run regular coffee mornings to get together and consult with parents.
- Young carers and young adult carer's assessments.
To find out more, call the Young Carers Service on 020 8649 9339, option 2 or email email hidden; JavaScript is required.
See also: Young Carers Service
Information for Young Carers
Are there any welfare benefits for young carers?
You might be able to claim Carer's Allowance if:
- You are aged 16 or over
- Spend at least 35 hours a week caring for someone
- You aren’t in either full-time education or earning more than £128 a week net
- The person you care for gets a qualifying disability benefit (e.g. Disability Living Allowance; Personal Independence Payment or Attendance Allowance).
Find out more and make a claim: Carer's Allowance
If you're not eligible for Carer's Allowance, you might be able to claim Carer’s Credit if:
- You are aged 16 or over
- You’re not yet getting State Pension
- You don’t qualify for Carer’s Allowance
- You spend at least 20 hours a week caring for someone
- The person you care for gets a qualifying disability benefit (e.g. Disability Living Allowance; Personal Independence Payment or Attendance Allowance).
Carer’s Credit is a National Insurance credit that fills up gaps in your National Insurance record. It helps towards your State Pension while you’re not making any contributions because of your caring role.
Find out more and make a claim: Carer's Credit
Can I get help at school?
Juggling school work with caring can be difficult, so letting a teacher or school counsellor know can enable you to get help with schoolwork and deadlines and to explain why you may be absent sometimes because of your caring role. The Young Carers Service can support you with homework and any issues you might be having at school.
The Children's Society also has suggestions about getting help at school and links to educational resources.
This booklet (which open in separate windows) is a guide written by and for young carers: Young and Caring: accessing support
Can I get help at university?
Young adult carers may be able to receive extra support whilst at university or college, including financial help, support with managing your workload and deadlines, or even help with your own health and wellbeing. See UCAS for more details about help available.
How can I meet other young carers?
The Young Carers Service offers a huge variety of free trips and activities for young carers in Croydon during school holidays.
The voices of other young carers can be heard in Are you aware we care? a six part radio series, which takes a look at the lives of young carers. You can listen to all six parts here.
The Mix runs group chats online for any carers aged up to 25 years old, every Monday from 8-9.30pm. You can speak to other carers and find support from a community that understands what you’re going through. Support & Information For Carers | Young Carers | The Mix
The Booklet for Young Carers is a European-wide resource created for young carers by young carers and covers topics such as looking after yourself, growing up as a carer and dreaming about your future.
Is there any advice for young carers of someone with a mental health problem?
This booklet (which open in separate windows) is a guide written by and for young carers: Young and Caring: caring for someone with a mental illness.
Is there guidance for professionals?
The Children's Society and the Carers Trust have lots of information about and for young carers and young adult carers on their websites.
The Children's Society has published Supporting young carers and their families giving practice guidance for those who work directly with young carers and their families. The following are useful factsheets:
Involving young carers - how to involve young carers in all that you do
Young Carers: information for healthcare professionals - help to identify a situation where there might be young carers
Young Carers affected by HIV - helping young carers who look after a relative with HIV
Young Carers and school - the impact of caring and attending school and details of our Young Carers in Schools award
Young Carers in families affected by parental mental illness - helping young carers who look after parents with a mental illness
Young Carers of black and minority ethnic families - helping young carers from BAME families
Young Carers of parents who misuse substances - helping young carers who look after a relative who misuse substances
Young Carers well‑being - looking after a young carers health and wellbeing
