Support for young carers

Young carers are children or young people who care for another person. This may be someone in their family who needs looking after because they have a disability or an illness. It could be a brother or sister or a parent or grandparent.

If this sounds like you, you should not have to do so much caring that it makes you upset, unwell or miss school.

The Care Act 2014 gives young carers more rights to ask for help. Councils must check what help you as a young carer need as soon as we know that you might need help or if you ask us to.

The check is called a ‘Young Carer’s Needs Assessment’.

As well as the care you are giving to someone else, we also consider what you need for your own education or work, health, hobbies or activities.

We will ask you and your parent for your views when we work out what help is needed. We also have to ask anyone else that you or your parent wants us to ask.

When we have finished checking what help you need, we have to decide what help we should be giving. This could involve giving help to the person that you look after, so that you do not have to do so much caring.

There are organisations across Cheshire East who can support you as a young carer.

Cheshire East Carers' Hub

The hub has been commissioned by Cheshire East Council in partnership with the NHS, and is being delivered by Making Space. This will ensure young and adult carers receive information and support which is tailored to their individual needs.

The Hub can offer carers a range of support, which may include:

• taking part in 1-2-1 or group based support activities
• helping carers to take a break and do something for themselves
• providing information, advice and guidance on specific topics
• helping carers to access community, health and wellbeing services
• accessing a range of activities and training
• intensive support to carers (previous known as the Relive Service)
• giving carers the opportunity to apply for funds from the Living Well Fund (criteria needs to be met)

One of the many benefits of the Hub is that it is a single point of contact for all carers, their families and professionals.