As part of Carers Rights Day, we asked young carers in Wrexham who they care for, and what life is like as a young carer.
WCD Young Carers believe all young carers are amazing and remind them of this if they forget. Their bespoke support includes fortnightly respite clubs for different age groups, trips and activities in the school holidays, one-to-one support during tough times, advocacy as well as awareness raising in schools/colleges and the local community.
You can find further information on the WCD Young Carers website.
Transcript
Who do you care for and what is life like as a young carer?
Young carer 1: So I became a young carer two years ago with the organisation, but I’ve been caring for multiple family members for the last – I would say – six years.
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For the last six years I’ve cared for, mostly, my nan and grandad as they became really ill.
But the last two years I’ve cared for more of my family members – so I help my dad with my siblings, and then I also help with supporting my dad with his mental health.
Young carer 2: I’m a carer for my mum – she’s classed as disabled, and she’s diabetic. My caring role consists of getting her meds when she can’t get out of bed, or when she’s unwell or sick.
Or a lot of heavy lifting too, as she’s can’t do those things – simple things like picking the hoover up and down the stairs, but yeah.
Young carer 3: I’m a young carer for my cousins because one has got autism and one has got asthma.
Young carer 4: So I care for my mum. She’s got a neuro-functional disorder, and she’s also got three herniated discs at the moment. It causes her a lot of problems.
What type of things do you do to help?
Young carer 1: With my grandparents it’s more physical, so my nanna is a wheelchair user, so I help her to go shopping. I help her with normal cooking around the house and laundry.
With my dad it’s more the support and confidence of having him not being on his own doing everything.
And with my siblings it’s just more day-to-day stuff – school, and just being a general support, emotionally.
Young carer 2: Well, when I was younger I was a carer for my mum, and technically my sister, as she was in a psychiatric hospital.
But at the time it was more for emotional needs rather than physical needs because my mum wasn’t diabetic or classed as disabled then.
So it was more mental health-based, so I was kind of relied on to be the happy kid to cheer everyone up, but now – as I said – I’m not caring for my sister anymore as she’s no longer in the hospital.
And my mum has separate issues, as well as mental health still, but she’s now classed as disabled and – as I said – diabetic, so I think it has changed a lot, but there are things that are still the same.
Young carer 3: At home, I go to my aunties, like I’m going today to babysit.
Young carer 4: I help care with the dogs. I help doing as many little things as I can, to help around.
Usually it’s things quite close to the ground so it helps mum more.
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