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The Children and Family Social Work Teams from Staffordshire County Council's Family Support unit, are responsible for young carers and their families in the community.

Young carers have the same rights as other carers under the NHS and Community Care Act 1990. They can also be considered 'children in need' under the Children's Act 1989 depending upon whether or not the local authority considers the child's caring role as preventing him/her from achieving or maintaining a reasonable standard of social opportunities and achieving full school attendance.

Young carers are children and young people who are the main carers of a sick or disabled parent or sibling. Estimates of the number of young carers in the UK vary between 15,000 and 50,000.

Young carers face serious caring responsibilities. In addition to the daily tasks they complete for their parents such as housework, cooking and bathing, they live with the added pressure of school and, often, a lack of understanding from schoolmates. The physical and emotional strain is sometimes too much - many skip school and suffer depression.

If you are a carer under the age of 16 years who is providing care, including secondary care, to a vulnerable adult over 18 years you should contact the local Young Carers Project.

Young Carers' Project

This project offers young carers and their families support information and advice. The service provides recreational respite, advocacy, a befriending service and therapeutic support to young people who have caring responsibilities for a relative with a long-term illness or disability. The Young Carers Project is somewhere that young Carers can go to for:

• Individual advice and support
• The opportunity to meet other Carers
• Regular trips and activities
• Newsletter
• A Young Carers Pack

The Young Carers pack contains helpful information on:

• Assessments Help with money
• What to do in an emergency
• Disability and illness

Information Shop for Young People

The Information Shop for young people is part of a National network of "shops" initiated by the National Youth Agency. It provides a free and confidential information, advice and support service for young people between the ages of 14 and 25.