Who is a Young Adult Carer?
A Young Adult Carer is someone aged between 18-25 .
They provide care, assistance or support to another person (adult, young person or child) with a condition such as:
- Mental ill health
- Physical disability
- Long-term health condition
- Drug or alcohol problem
- Learning disability
They are unpaid for carrying out this role.
Young Adult Carers may or may not live at the same address as the person they care for.
What are Caring Responsibilities?
A Young Adult Carer’s responsibilities may include:-
- Practical household tasks, e.g., cooking, cleaning, washing up, ironing, dealing with correspondence, and finances
- Personal care, e.g., bathing, dressing, lifting, administering medication, collecting prescriptions, and support to attend medical appointments
- Emotional Support, e.g, listening, offering advice and friendship, keeping an eye on the person you care for to ensure their personal safety
Being a Young Adult Carer
Many carers feel good about themselves as carers due to the care and support they give to a loved one. You will gain many skills, such as listening, organisational skills, and managing money, along with feeling needed and valued. Being a Carer may also make you feel lonely, tired, stressed, and resentful. These feelings are normal, but there is a lot of help available to support you.
How can Carers Hub support you as a Young Adult Carer?
To begin with, you will need to complete a referral form. You can do this through our website, either independently or call us, and a member of staff can complete one with you over the phone. To complete a referral form, click here. A professional could also refer you to our service with your consent.
Once we have the referral, a support worker will arrange to meet with you either in person or over the phone and agree on a support plan that meets your needs. We will discuss what support you may need (e.g., help to contact Adult Social Care, respite, etc). We will also look at other factors such as work, study, and leisure.
