What makes a young person a Young Carer?
Leicestershire County Council sees young carers as ‘children and young people who provide regular and on-going care and emotional support to a family member who is physically or mentally ill, disabled or misuses substances’.
The term does not apply to the everyday and occasional help around the home that may often be expected of or given by children in families.
A key feature of being a ‘young carer’ is that the caring responsibilities continue over time.
A young carer becomes vulnerable when the level of care they give and the responsibility to the person in need of care becomes excessive or inappropriate for that child, risking impacting on his or her emotional or physical wellbeing, educational achievement and life chances.
Page Last Updated: 30 August 2011
