Get help if you're a young carer
The things you do at home may affect your schoolwork and your friendships. You may also feel a bit down or overwhelmed. Not all young carers feel the same though and some don’t feel overwhelmed at all!
If there are times when it feels hard, you don’t have to cope on your own if you’re looking after an adult or a child in your family.
You might feel worried or scared to tell someone that you want some help – we understand that. But you don’t have to manage on your own. There are many ways in which you can be supported:
Leicestershire Family Help Service: Young Carers Assessment
You can get a young carer’s assessment if you’re under 18 years old. This might be done through our Young Carers Service, or if you and your family have some other things that you need help with too, it might be done with another worker from our Service. This might be a youth worker, family worker or a social worker.
Ask for a Young Carer’s Assessment by completing this form (we need your parent/carer consent if you are under 16).
Online request a service form or telephone 0116 305 0005
We will visit you at home to talk to you about your situation and work out how we can help you and your family. After the assessment is completed, we will come up with a plan of how we can best support you. If you or your family already has a Family Help Service worker or a social worker we will work with them to support you. You don’t need to request a separate Young Carer Assessment in this instance.
We will look at what you want and need, for example:
- Helping others understand what you need as a young carer (eg. school or GP)
- Getting a Young Carers Passport (free identification card)
- Moving from school to college or university
- Local activities and young carer youth groups
- Spending time away from your caring responsibilities
If you and the person you look after both agree, we can look at what help there might be for the person you look after. This might include referrals to organisations who could help with:
- equipment to help them move around the home, do day-to-day tasks and get out and about
- someone to come in to help them wash and dress
- help with cleaning and housework
Other support that may be available via a referral
Young Carer Youth Group (11 - 18)
Each locality in Leicestershire has its own Youth Group especially for Young Carers. Come along, have fun, chill out and do something new! Invitation Only.
Young Adult Carer Group (15 - 18 Virtual)
Support for Young Adult Carers who want an opportunity to socialise, chat about going to college or university or employment options, and all that comes with moving into adulthood as a Young Carer. Invitation Only.
Young Carer Youth Council (CYCLe) (Virtual) 11 - 18
Our County Youth Council for Leicestershire (CYCLe) is for Young Carers aged 11+ who want to have a voice in what happens locally and nationally in relation to Young Carers. Invitation Only.
Young Carer Passport
Our Young Carer Passport is available to any young carer who is referred to our service (aged 11- 18). The passport is free and is designed to assist you with helping other professionals such as GP’s or School staff, understand that you are a young carer and your needs should be considered as such. Speak to your worker to find out more or give us a call.