Young Carers provide a range of support to those they care for including

• Personal care such as dressing and washing
• Practical help such as housework and shopping
• Emotional support

If you think you, or someone you know, may be a young Carer, help is available to support you. Thrive Wandsworth have created a Young Carers Plan which focuses on staying safe and being healthy amongst other things.

Young Carers often report that they experience challenges that other children do not:

• Unable to meet up with friends
• Unable to do or keep up with school work
• Missing school due to caring responsibilities
• Struggles with mental health
• Experiencing social isolation

Many children also report that their schools and / or friends do not know that they have a caring role and the effects of a caring role can often be misinterpreted. Tiredness can be mistaken for disinterest and not being able to go out, mistaken for being unsociable.

A young Carers youth club also runs, offering an opportunity to make new friends, learn life skills and a chance to access advice and one to one support.