One in 12 youngsters cares for a family member, often in the most trying of circumstances. Jan Hunter meets two of them

SIXTEEN-year-old Brandon Davies, from Richmond, looks after his mother, Nina, who is bi-polar. Before school he has to empty the bins, sort out the washing, make her a cup of tea, and check that everything is sorted for her day ahead. Then he dashes off to study for his GCSEs.

“I worry when I am at school,” he says. “Mum and I are the best of friends, but when she is not having a good day, I am the one who gets the blame and I often feel stressed. I manage to make it fit, but sometimes I just have to leave my homework.”

Caitlin McLean, 16, is studying at Northallerton School. Like Brandon, she is a young carer. She looks after her mother who has chronic arthritis. She too tries to juggle her caring responsibilities with her school work, and it is not easy.

These are two of 700,000 young people in the UK who care for a relative. Often they are the primary carer. They miss on average 48 days a year from school because of their caring role and 68 per cent of them are bullied because they are considered different.

Very often, young carers have the responsibility of cooking, doing the housework and shopping, looking after the personal and physical needs of their relative, managing the family budget and organising outside carers and medication.

Many experience tiredness, stress, anger and confusion. They often feel isolated, usually because they cannot experience the normal life of a teenager, or be with their friends. Young adult carers at work need a very understanding boss who can cope with missed days because of the two roles these young people have to play.

Last month, on Young Carers Awareness Day, Hambleton and Richmondshire Carers’ Centre put on a presentation to raise awareness of the difficulties these young people face.

Both Brendon and Caitlin look upon the centre at Northallerton as a life line. As well as giving practical advice and support, the centre organises social events so that the young people can talk to and make friends with people in the same situation. They also help them develop new skills.

“I have made friends with people in a similar situation,” says Caitlin, “and I have a better life as I can still be a teenager. There is always someone to talk to.”

“They always step in to help here,” says Brandon. “Mum had to go into hospital and they looked after me until everything was sorted.”

Sara Dalton, from the centre, explains how they assess the young person’s emotional well- being and what services they need. Teesside University works with the centre as many young carers want to study and go on to university – Caitlin, for example, wants to go into medicine while Brandon wants to become an actor.

“With the university’s support and from funding from North Yorkshire County Council, Big Lottery and Children in Need, we are trying to help these young people achieve their dreams,” says Sara. “We help them to see their role as being positive.

“Mainly we want more schools to be in Involved and to be aware of what the youngsters are doing at home.”

One child in 12 is a carer. Very often young people keep their caring responsibilities hidden. The Carers’ Trust with the National Institute of Adult Continuing Education (NIACE) has produced a booklet which is a practical resource for schools and colleges, and Sara and her team are doing their utmost to get the message out there.

In November 2015, local Rotary clubs adopted the Northallerton young carers’ centre as one of their charities. For example, Stokesley Rotary will be running courses in the kitchens of the town’s secondary school on cooking and healthy eating. Matthew Brown, a local chef, is offering his services and Rotary is to fund the project so that it can expand to cover eight carers’ centres across the North-East.

Peter Chandler, the District Governor of Rotary North-East England, said: “We recognise that these children need a lot more support than they are currently getting, so by teaching them about healthy food and teaching them cooking skills, we can hopefully give them skills that will help them.”

Caitlin is in no doubt about how the external help she has received has benefitted her.

“My life was conflict all the time,” she says. “Because of the centre I can get through situations at home and my life is way better. I am happy when I am here. It has changed my life.”

There is lots of information available to help young carers, their families and their schools. Hambleton and Richmondshire Carers website can be found at hrcarers.org.uk, or contact Sara Dalton on 01609-780872. The website youngcarersinschools.com and carers.org also offer assistance.