Young Carers Awareness Day: Leeds woman speaks out about '˜importance of support'

Today, on Young Carers Awareness Day, the YEP is shining a light on the city’s selfless young carers and highlighting the support on offer in Leeds.

Lauren, 23, has spent almost her entire life as a carer in some capacity.

Despite being partially-sighted, and suffering from asthma and thyroid problems herself, she also provides care for both of her parents.

She has cared for her mum, who has multiple sclerosis (MS), since she was a little girl.

“My mum has been disabled all of my life, but only started getting bad over the last few years,” said Lauren, from Leeds.

“I have been providing support from being very little.

“My personal role is mostly emotional at the moment.”

She said seeing her mum battle illness had made her guarded when it came to making new friends.

“It’s hard for me now to make new relationships and friends after seeing my mum’s MS condition degrade.

“I don’t think I would be able to cope if I was to see it happen to someone else close to me.”

Lauren, who also cares for her dad, started receiving help from Carers Leeds’ Young Adult Carer project in August last year, which offers help to carers aged between 16 and 25 in Leeds.

She said the support she had been given by the service was invaluable and has urged others - who may not recognise they are working as a carer - to get involved.

“I have been able to socialise with people more since I started getting support from Carers Leeds,” Lauren said.

“They have given me a lot more confidence.

“Support is extremely important. You can’t just cope on your own, friends and support for me is the difference between being able to cope and being pushed off the edge.”

Lauren is just one of more than 100 young adult carers that Carers Leeds supports every year.

Its Young Adult Carers Support Team offers one-to-one sessions with carers, help and trips for young carers living in the city.

Hazell Cockle, 33, who is part of the team at Carers Leeds, said: “There are more young carers out there and we want them to know that the support is there for them here.”

Val Hewison, chief executive of Carers Leeds, said: “We have got a fantastic bunch of young people here that we support.

“They are resilient and incredibly positive.”

For more information about Carers Leeds, or support, visit www.carersleeds.org.uk

Support

Barnardo’s Willow Young Carers Service, based in Savile Mount, offers support to young carers in Leeds.

The service works with more than 400 children and young people every year.

It offers one-to-ones, group support and activities and trips. The service also has its own volunteering programme that helps support and run its groups alongside Willow’s staff team.

For more details about the service contact 0113 2622851