Young carers

If you're a young carer, you're not alone. There are people who want to help you feel supported and make sure you have time for yourself, school, and friends.

Young carers have the right to be supported so those around them understand who they are caring for, what their caring role looks like, what impact this has on them and any additional support they would benefit from.

This can be explored via a Early Help Assessment, this can be completed by any professional either working with the cared for person, the parents or carers or working with the child through school or education settings.

Here in Lincolnshire, we work as a partnership to make sure whoever you feel comfortable sharing your family's information with, can explore your caring role.

Lincolnshire Young Carers provide the opportunity to join groups and participate in activities with other young carers across the county; an online community with peers and where needed one to one support from a worker with specialized knowledge of carers issues. 

We work together with lots of partners across the county who also provide support and advice to young carers, this might be a group or an activity within your own school.

Ask at school about who is your Young Carer Lead, or lookout for their badge – this is the person you can talk to.

The Lincolnshire Carers Service can also provide support to young carers from the age of 16, depending on need and if you choose to access support from adult services.

Your caring role

You might feel proud of the help you give, but it can also be tiring, stressful, or isolating. You may miss out on school, time with friends, or feel overwhelmed by the responsibility.

Whether you're helping with personal care, managing medication, or just worrying about someone you love, your feelings matter.

Questions you might have:

• If I’m a young carer who can help me?
• If I ask for help, will I be taken away from my family?
• What are my rights as someone who supports my Mum/ Dad/ Brother/ Sister/ Relative?
• Why do I have to look after my mum/dad/brother/sister...?
• Will I make my Mum/ Dad/ Brother/ Sister/ Grandparent/ Aunt/ Uncle unwell if I go out/ go to school?
• Are there other children like me?
• What is a Young Carers Group?
• What support can I get if I care for my Mum/ Dad/ Brother/ Sister/ Grandparent/ Relative?
• How can I connect with other young carers?
• Who can I talk to about the care I give to my Mum/ Dad/ Brother/ Sister/ Grandparent/ Aunt/ Uncle?

Young carer groups

Across Lincolnshire there are young carer groups for children aged between 5 and 18. At group you will get a chance to make friends with other young carers and be able to share your experiences.

You will get opportunities to learn new skills and try new activities in a safe and supportive place with people who understand what being a young carer is like.

Lots of schools have groups but if you’d prefer not to attend a group at your school you can ask to attend one run by Lincolnshire County Council.

We also have lots of activities in the holidays for 8 to 18 year olds and for mini young carers (5 to 8 year olds). As a young carer you are allowed to come to all of the HAF activities during the school holidays and your school can provide you with a voucher code so you can book on them.

Young carers Facebook page

We have a Facebook page just for young carers in Lincolnshire. Here you can connect with others, get advice or just see what other young carers have been doing. If you’d like to be part of the group please send a friend request to Lincolnshire Young Carers.

Young carers champions

These are adults across children’s services who listen to and speak up for young carers. They work with lots of different professionals like schools, hospitals, GP surgeries and the police.

Young carers survey 

Once a year we send out a questionnaire to all of our schools, parents and children on the register so we can understand any challenges young carers are facing, what things are really helping and try to better support young carers.

Young Carers Register

All Local Authorities have to hold a Young Carers register by law. Once a child is identified as a young carer, they’ll be added to the register. This helps us make sure families are offered the right support. The information is kept safe and confidential and won’t be shared unless you give permission.

Young Carers Newsletter

Once a year, we’ll send a newsletter to parents (and young carers if they have an email address) with updates, stories from other young carers, and reminders about available support.

Getting support

If you think you, or your child, might be a young carer, we hope these pages can offer you reassurance that you are not alone. If you want to find out more then you could ask at school who your, or your child's, Young Carer Lead is.

Alternatively you can email youngcarers@lincolnshire.gov.uk or phone 01522 553275 to speak to someone who can help you.