Edinburgh Young Carers Project

General information

Edinburgh Young Carers works with young people aged 5 to 21 years old who care for or are affected by someone else at home - usually a parent or sibling.

The person they care for may suffer from:

•mental health problems
•disability
•chronic ill-health
•drug and alcohol misuse
Caring responsibilities can affect a young person:

•EMOTIONALLY - Putting other people’s needs first, being worried, anxious or stressed. Feelings of guilt, anger, being trapped, isolated and being misunderstood.
•PHYSICALLY - Suffering from pains or strains from heavy lifting or helping someone to wash or dress.
•SOCIALLY - Not able to meet up with friends regularly. Feeling isolated and lacking confidence. A possible target for being bullied.
•EDUCATIONALLY - Difficulties concentrating in class, feeling tired, worried, with no time to do homework.
•FINANCIALLY - Low family income. Not having enough money for basic needs.
Most young carers go unnoticed or unrecognised, until there is a crisis.

Often, family members do not want people outside the home to know that someone is ill. They may fear that the family could become separated.

The level and type of care undertaken by a young carer varies according to their individual circumstance.