In their words

Mat, a young carer, tells us his story

“Imagine a fishing net. It can catch big fish not the little ones. Barnardo’s is like a blanket that covers the holes to stop the little fish, like me, slipping through.”

“ When I first came to the project I was scared” admits Mat, a young carer who looks after his mother who has mental health problems. “Me and mum were worried that if we asked for help, social services would split us up.”

Mat’s worry is not uncommon. Many children and young people who first come to CareFree, express concern about what will happen next.

“You soon realise that it’s not about separation, its about keeping families together by offering help with care,” explains Mat, “before CareFree you don’t even know there’s a name for what you are doing, let alone that you can get help. For most carers, they are just looking after mum or dad or whoever is ill. Its life as they know it”.

Mat’s knowledge of young carers stems from his own experience of caring and six years experience of meeting others at CareFree. “At first the project helped me with respite care and I went to young carers’ groups. We would talk about things, but often it was about having fun with people who understand – forgetting your problems for a few hours.”

But as Mat grew up his needs changed. ‘I wanted more interaction and a voice so that I could help other carers and get things that were wrong changed.’ So the project set up a young carers’ council. There are currently 16 council members aged 12-19, including the council’s chair Nicola.

“The council is here to make sure that young carers’ views don’t fall on deaf ears,” says Nicola. “We are the independent voice of young carers. We have our own budget and we choose what we do with our time”.

The council’s current focus is on the problems carers face at school. “Young carers fall behind because of their caring responsibilities.” says Mat. “I would have failed my GCSEs if it wasn’t for CareFree. The teachers didn’t understand, so CareFree advocated on my behalf. The teachers drew up a study plan for me and I passed!”

Council members visit different schools in Leicestershire giving presentations in assemblies and at teachers’ days about what it means to be a young carer. “There is a huge lack of awareness. Young carers often aren’t supported because teachers don’t understand.”

The council has also designed a carers’ website, fed into a social services review, helped at training sessions for social workers and input into government childcare initiatives. “If it wasn’t for the council there would only be the say of adults. But they are not the ones using the services, so our say is important”, says Nicola.

Unfortunately the young carer’s council has had to stop meeting due to lack of funding.