Now, add in the pressure of making sure bills are paid on time, the household is fed, and your siblings have clean clothes to wear.
This is the reality for more than 356,000 young people across England and Wales today.
And it’s getting worse. A UK-wide survey this year of more than 1,000 carers showed that the time spent on carrying out extra caring responsibilities has doubled, with many caring for between 20 and 49 hours per week.
Courageously stepping up to the mark for family in a caring role shouldn’t come to the detriment of a young carer's own mental health, education, and social development. For many of these children and young people, however, that is the case. Their participation in leisure activities often suffers due to their caring roles and many report feeling lonely and stressed.
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