Summer's story
Ten-year-old Summer lives with her mum, Hannah, and her five-year-old brother, Roman, who has autism. A devoted big sister, she plays an important role in helping to care for Roman, keeping him safe while her mum cooks, showers or does the housework, encouraging his self-care skills and even helping him learn new words through play.
"I always describe Summer as my little helper," says mum Hannah. "Roman requires constant supervision and I know I can trust and rely on Summer to watch and look after him. What is lovely is that she is always so proud of him."
"When mum is busy, I look after Roman a lot. We like to play and playfight. Sometimes I help make him dinner but most of the time I take care of him while mum does her jobs around the house." Summer
While Summer loves her brother dearly, being a young carer can be emotionally demanding. She worries about Roman and knows that her family life is different from many of her friends. Because Roman has little awareness of danger, days out can be difficult, meaning the family often spend much of their time at home.
"I know it has an effect on Summer emotionally as she worries about him and feels protective over him. Going to public places is very difficult, so sometimes it can feel we are restricted. But making new friends through being a young carer has shown Summer that she is not alone." Mum, Hannah
When Honeypot partnered with Summer's school to deliver a Health and Wellbeing Break, she was identified as one of 12 young carers who would benefit from attending. It was her first visit to Honeypot House in Hampshire. For Summer, one of the biggest benefits was having time away from her caring responsibilities.
"It's nice to have time away from my brother, to have a break and be able to play," she says. During the break, she threw herself into new experiences, from learning how to light a fire outdoors to enjoying a fun and memorable trip to Paultons Park theme park.
"It is just really fun here. I already know everyone from school but I really love it here and I feel really relaxed." Summer
Her teacher noticed an immediate difference: "It has been so lovely seeing Summer out playing and being a kid. Summer usually spends a lot of time indoors as it is difficult to go out with her little brother."
For mum Hannah, seeing her daughter embrace the opportunity was incredibly rewarding.
"I am so grateful for the Honeypot break for Summer as it meant she could just be free to be herself, have fun and relax. It was so lovely to hear her so happy on the phone, full of excitement to tell me about what she had done and how good the food was! Being around other young carers has increased her confidence and improved her self-esteem." Mum, Hannah
The positive changes continued after Summer returned home. Her teacher saw a remarkable improvement in her confidence and ability to build friendships.
"Summer struggled to make friends and have the social skills to interact with her peers. Since taking part in the Health and Wellbeing Break at Honeypot with other young carers from the school, we have seen such an improvement and really seen her turn into a confident young lady." Teacher
For Summer, spending time with children who understood her experiences and simply having the chance to be ten years old has made a lasting difference, helping her grow in confidence while reminding her that she is not alone.
