Young carers are young people aged five to 18 who look after a family member who is ill, disabled, is experiencing mental ill health, or is affected by alcohol and/or substance misuse.

Young carers may experience different issues from adults and need a different kind of support and advice. So, we work with two organisations that specialise in supporting you. These are:

• Sandwell Young Carers
• Sandwell Advocacy who have a project especially for young carers

More information for young carers

The Children and Families Act 2014 and the Care Act 2014 gave young carers improved rights to an assessment of their needs. The organisation Carers Trust has produced a briefing on the rights for young carers. It is written for young carers and young adult carers to inform you of your rights.

There are several websites designed for young carers. Some of them have interactive forums and online advice.

Here are two of them:

• Barnardo’s – details of the services provided by the charity Barnardo’s to support young carers
• Young Carers Hub on the NHS Choices website