Young carers
Who are young carers?
Young carers are ordinary children or teenagers of both sexes, from all sorts of families, backgrounds and ethnic origins, who look after or help look after someone in their family - a mother or father, brother or sister, or granny or grandad.
They may do most of the caring or just help out, but they may not see themselves as carers.
What do young carers do?
Young carers undertake a number of tasks for the people they help look after.
Young carers are often left alone to do things like washing, cooking, shopping, dressing, keeping someone company and much more.
Other responsibilities include things such as making sure that the correct medicine is given to the person receiving care, taking charge of the household finances or looking after younger brothers and sisters.
What are we doing?
We are currently developing a young carers strategy and action plan to expand the range of information and support available for young carers in Walsall. This will hopefully include a website.
We are also looking to work with schools and other youth services to make sure they understand about the challenges that young carers face, and that we all work to ensure that young carers get opportunities to be young people as well as carers.
The link below is to the plan we are currently working on to improve the range and level of support over the next three years. Some of the actions can be started straight away, or are already happening, like the website. Others will need partners to join in and make them part of their priorities too.
Read our young carers strategy and development plan (Word 1MB).
What support is there now?
At present we fund a young carers project with one support worker available through the week for advice, support or visits. The Walsall Young Carers Project also provides a monthly afterschool club and trips during the school holidays. Several young carers have also helped develop a website for young carers, www.wycid.com
This is a chance to have fun, but also meet other young carers and staff who can help further.
The project is run by the Walsall Carers Centre.
Contact us
Princess Royal Trust Walsall Carers Centre
The Crossing at St. Paul’s
Darwall Street
Walsall
WS1 1DA
Telephone 01922 636663
Email info@walsallcarers.org
Website www.wycid.com