Warwickshire County Council (WCC) is taking the opportunity to remind young carers of the importance of keeping their mental health in check.
Young carers often find it difficult to find time offline to relax, so Warwickshire County Council (WCC) is taking the opportunity to remind young carers of the importance of keeping their mental health in check.
For many young carers in Warwickshire, responsibilities around caring for a parent and having to help around the home, in addition to going to school, can impact their mental health. The council and partners are supporting all young carers on Youth Mental Health Day (Thursday 19 September 2024). The theme this year is #ControlYourScroll.
Currently, there are approximately 1,500 young carers living in Warwickshire*. In addition to going to school, young carers will provide support to family members who may need help due to alcohol or substance misuse, or issues concerning mental health.
Young carers may help with dressing younger siblings, cooking, cleaning and helping with housework, to name a few of the responsibilities they undertake. Young carers do this whilst also balancing their own life, all of which can be very difficult, especially when it comes to maintaining their mental health.
Anyone who knows a young carer can check in with them to see how they are doing. There are also a range of support services available to residents across the county.
In addition to online support, young carers can also get involved with face-to-face activities with other young carers. Caring Together Warwickshire, funded by WCC, is a local service provided by Carers Trust Heart of England. They support and improve the lives of children and adult carers across Warwickshire. Face-to-face activities include: games nights, picnics, and days out. Recently they also held a snow camp at Tamworth Snowdome.
Jay, a young carer in Warwickshire, is fifteen and helps his mum around the house. “My mum has MS and needs help moving around. I also do a lot of the cooking and cleaning. I love her very much and I do not see helping her as a chore, but sometimes it can be stressful when I have lots of homework to do as well. I have found that talking to other young people in my situation has really helped, and a few of us even go to the cinema once a month”.
Cllr Margaret Bell, Portfolio Holder for Adult Social Care and Health, said:
"If you know of a young carer, this Youth Mental Health Day please take the opportunity to remind them of the importance of looking after themselves.
“Young people who take on extra responsibilities at home may not always recognise the impact it can have on their mental health. It's crucial that we support them early on, rather than waiting until a crisis occurs.
“The council can help young carers connect with others who share similar experiences and ensure they know where to access the mental health support they need to thrive and lead a happy life."
There is lots of mental health support to help young carers who are struggling to cope. Kooth provides a means for young carers to share thoughts and feelings anonymously with mental health experts. The platform offers a daily journal, discussion boards, and helpful articles. Go to www.kooth.com
For information and advice, visit www.warwickshire.gov.uk/carers
To learn more about Young Carers Warwickshire Caring Together, visit www.caringtogetherwarwickshire.org.uk
To check out the upcoming activities for young carer from Caring Together Warwickshire visit https://www.caringtogetherwarwickshire.org.uk/activities/
To understand more about young carers and how to support them, access the Free online Young Carers Aware Training at https://youngcareraware.warwickshire.gov.uk/index.html?lms=none&enable-assessment=true
*Census 2021