Andy McGowan has just turned 16 and has been caring for his parents since he was six. "My dad has heart problems, and my mum has bad knees, a dodgy ankle, arthritis and a mental illness, so I do a lot of the fetching and carrying," he says. "I help mum move around or help her up when she's had a fall. I also help with her medication and emotionally.
"I picked up a lot of life skills early and have learnt to be strong, but sometimes it's hard to concentrate on schoolwork because of the worries I have. I can blow up at schoolmates if I'm having a difficult time. The school used to have a counsellor who I could talk to and that helped, but she left and there hasn't been a replacement. This has been hard as some teachers don't understand the issues young carers face."
Register Now to Continue Reading
Thank you for visiting Children & Young People Now and making use of our archive of more than 60,000 expert features, topics hubs, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's Included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Email newsletter providing advice and guidance across the sector
Already have an account? Sign in here
