Young Carers - support and advice
Young carers are children and young people who are the main carers of a sick or disabled parent or sibling. Estimates of the number of young carers in the UK vary between 15,000 and 50,000.
Young carers face serious caring responsibilities. In addition to the daily tasks they complete for their parents such as housework, cooking and bathing, they live with the added pressure of school and, often, a lack of understanding from schoolmates. The physical and emotional strain is sometimes too much - many skip school and suffer depression.
If you are a carer under the age of 18 years who is providing care, including secondary care, to a vulnerable adult over 18 years you should contact the Intake & Assessment Duty Desk or talk to the social worker of the person you care for to request a Carer’s Assessment.
Young carers have the same rights as other carers under the NHS and Community Care Act 1990. They can also be considered "children in need" under the Children's Act 1989 depending upon whether or not the local authority considers the child's caring role as preventing him/her from achieving or maintaining a reasonable standard of social opportunities and achieving full school attendance.
For information email: childrensservices@bedscc.gov.uk|.
Do you care for someone who is ill, frail or disabled? That makes you a carer. Call the Bedfordshire Carers Helpline on 0300 012435 for advice, information and support.
The Bedfordshire Carers Helpline can:
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Provide information such as leaflets
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Put you in touch with a local Carers Voluntary Organisation or Charity
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Transfer you to a Social Care Team.
We will transfer you to a Social Care Team when you contact us about:
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Requesting a Carers Assessment
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Your existing Carers Service or Careplan
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A carer emergency or crisis.
Help us to help you by giving us as much of the following information as possible when you contact us:
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Your full name, address and contact details
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The full name, address and date of birth for the person you care for.
During office hours, you will speak directly to a member of the Bedfordshire Carers Helpline staff. Outside office hours you will have the choice to:
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Leave us a message
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Go though to Carers in Bedfordshire for emotional support
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Go through to the Emergency Duty Team in a carer emergency or crisis.
You may find it helpful to put the 0300 0123435 number as the In Case of Emergency (ICE) number in your phone and in the Lifeline Tub (if you have one) in your fridge.
Calling the Bedfordshire Carers Helpline is not a substitute for dialling 999 if you, or the person you care for, needs immediate medical attention.