Young carers have to navigate sometimes extremely challenging circumstances and often they do this alone without support from the services that could be available to them. All young carers should be assessed under section 17 of the Children Act 1989 to ensure that they receive the right support to help them to thrive.
ANXIETY & DEPRESSION
This is a particular problem among young carers – they might feel alone and fear being different. They might also worry about the cared-for family member.
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Contact your GP or mental health crisis team >
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Young Minds > Shout is a free, confidential, 24/7 text support service for anyone struggling to cope.
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Samaritans > access confidential emotional support at any time.
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Childline > free, private and confidential service that you can access online and on the phone.
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Kooth > 24/7 access to self-help materials and daily online counselling available.
BULLYING
Physical bullying, verbal bullying and psychological bullying (gossiping about or excluding people) are often mentioned as a concern for a young carer. Cyberbullying is a form of bullying or harassment using electronic means.
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Kidscape > advice and support for parents and carers on bullying.
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Bullies Out > online bullying and mentoring service for young people.
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Ditch The Label > provides support to young people aged 12-25.
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National Bullying Helpline > in addition to the national support line, the service provides information, downloadable resources and guides to help manage bullying and the effects on mental health.
BEHAVIOUR
Young carers can feel that no one else can understand their experience. Frustration and anger can be a particular problem due to inability to take part in after school activities, sports and leisure activities and being tired and feeling isolated.
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Family Lives > parenting advice and support.
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The Challenging Behaviour Foundation > family support service that can provide information and support for a child or young person with a severe learning disability.
BENEFITS
Being unaware of your entitlement to benefits is a common but avoidable cause of financial difficulty. Find out if you are entitled to benefits, and if so, how much you may be entitled to by accessing support.
COST OF LIVING CRISIS
The cost-of-living crisis is making life harder and harder for families, and that could make the job of caring for a family member even more difficult. There is help available, both from Honeypot via our Wellbeing Fund and other organisations and charities.
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Family Action > provides practical, emotional and financial support to those who are experiencing poverty, disadvantage and social isolation.
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Help for Households > view government schemes and eligibility criteria.
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Barnardo's > offers a great guide to different places you can get support during the crisis.
DIVORCE & SEPARATION
Divorce and separation can be particularly hard for a young carer and can often be a time of high emotion and high conflict.
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Gingerbread > information to help single parents support themselves and their family.
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Family Lives > parenting advice and family support.
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Action for Children > free 1:1 chat messaging service in Welsh or English.
DOMESTIC ABUSE
Domestic violence takes many forms - physical, emotional, economic, stalking, harassment and sexual - and can happen to anyone.
GENERAL ADVICE
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Booklet for Young Carers > developed for young carers by young carers.
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Young Scot > Scotland's youth information service and details of the Young Carers Package.
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Meic > helpline service for children and young people in Wales.
HEALTHY EATING
Eating a well-balanced nutritious diet helps to ensure children get the right vitamins to support growth and development. They are also more likely to feel energised and motivated which will support their ability to learn.
ONLINE SAFETY
With so many websites and apps targeting children online it’s a good idea to find out how to stay safe online.
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UK Safer Internet Centre > online safety tips, advice, and resources.
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CEOP > report someone who has been communicating with you or your child online.
SCHOOL
Moving from primary school to secondary school is an exciting time of life, but for many children it can also be a daunting prospect. Preparing for the change and learning how to cope with it will help them with this transition and prepare them for many other changes and challenges they will face in life.
SCREENTIME
Some parents may find this screentime article, shared with us by Compass Fostering, a helpful starting point. Please note that it offers general family guidance only and may not reflect the individual needs and responsibilities of young carers, so parents are encouraged to use their own judgement about what works best for their child.
WELLBEING FUND
Here at Honeypot, we provide young carers from financially disadvantaged homes with small grants to help overcome social isolation, access, and achieve in education, support emotional wellbeing and mental health, and obtain household essentials. Find out more >
