This site has been developed with the support of Wakefield Healthwatch citizen’s panel and partner organisations across Wakefield District. If you have any feedback on the site please email adultsocialcare@wakefield.gov.uk
- Home
- Support for carers
- Young Carers
Young Carers
A young carer is someone under 18 years old who takes on physical, practical, or emotional responsibilities at home. They do this because someone in their family is ill, disabled, battling addiction, or has a mental health condition.
A young carer becomes a young adult carer when they are between 18 and 25 years old.
Wakefield Council has a Young Carers Team. They work in partnership with schools and partner agencies to support young carers and their families.
You can contact the Young Carers Team at: Youngcarers@wakefield.gov.uk
Alternatively you can contact your nearest family or youth hub to ask about support they provide for young carers and find your local young carers engagement worker. You can find the contact details for each hub on the Wakefield Families Together website.
The Wakefield Families Together website also provides details of each hubs' Facebook page which is useful for staying up to date with what's going on.
Young Adult Carers (YAC) are carers aged between 18 and 25 years old who care for a relative or friend who has a long term health condition or disability.
Carers Wakefield and District run group activities for Young Adult Carers. You can find out more about these here.
To contact Carers Wakefield and District about Young Adult Carers support
call: 01924 305544
Or email: info@carerswakefield.org.uk
The Young Carers' Support App
The app offers clear and easily accessible advice and is a comprehensive resource not just for young carers but also for any professional working with young carers and young people.
The app has been co-produced with young carers following feedback on what support they need to make their caring role easier. Feedback included the importance of virtual anonymous support and advice on how to maintain their physical and mental wellbeing.
Download on android
Download on IOS
Young Carers' Stories
Young carers share in their own words how people can support them as carers and how caring impacts on their lives.
You can find more young carers' stories on the West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership Website.
One Minute Guides
These pdf guides provide bitesize information on identifying and supporting young carers.
- Health and wellbeing of young carers
- Identifying young carers and what next?
- The impact of being a young carer
- Young carers from ethnically diverse backgrounds
- A day in the life of a young carer
You can find more resources on the West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership website.
Wakefield Discovery College: We run short courses and one off workshops across the whole of the Wakefield district for 16-25 year olds to support you to; understand and manage health conditions, find new skills and interests, build strengths and inner resources, engage in physical activity and become an expert in your own self-care.
This includes courses and resources specifically for carers and young carers.
Including: Caring for me & you - Wakefield Recovery and Wellbeing College (wakefieldrecoverycollege.nhs.uk)
The Children Act 1989 and the Children and Families Act 2014 give local councils and their partners the duty to 'take reasonable steps' to identify young carers, to assess the impact of their caring responsibilities 'on the appearance of need' (i.e. without a 'request' having to be made), and to consider the impact of caring on that child or young person.
It's your choice but you could tell a teacher at your school or college if you are caring for someone. The best person to contact is your school or college's Young Carers' Champion who can support you and connect you with the council's Young Carers Team.
This is a useful video about how to ask for support and why it's important: Getting help at school or college as a young carer | Carers First
These groups give young carers an opportunity to have a break from caring, make friends, and access support if they need it.
Details of groups for young carers can be found in 'what's on guides'. You can find the 'what's on guide' for your nearest family or youth hub on the Wakefield Families Together website.
If you can't see the support you're looking for on the website contact your nearest family or youth hub. You can find contact details for each hub on the Wakefield Families Together website.