Bursting The Bubble: new film from young carers

Local young carers have produced a new film sharing their experiences, to be launched on Young Carers’ Action Day! In partnership with charities, Care for the Carers and Culture Shift, the film, ‘Bursting the Bubble’, shares the young people’s experiences of caring. The film launches on 16 March as part of nationwide activities to mark Young Carers’ Action Day, with a special screening taking place for young carers, young adult carers, professionals and funders.

This year, Young Carers’ Action Day focuses on ‘Taking Action on Isolation’ and a call for more respite breaks, themes chosen by young carers and young adult carers themselves. The day raises awareness of young carers and young adult carers (aged up to 25 years old), who look after someone who could not do without their help.

A new survey released by the Carers Trust today, has found that there has been a steep rise in caring hours for young carers and young adult carers with more than half (53%) saying the amount of time they spend caring per week had increased in the past year – and over a third of young carers and young adult carers saying their caring role resulted in them feeling worried, lonely or stressed.

Nearly 70,000 unpaid carers in

Sussex

Care for the Carers estimates that there are 69,241 unpaid carers in Sussex, although it is difficult to know the actual number, because so many young carers are hidden. In Hastings, it is estimated there are 10,291 unpaid young carers.

Support and gratitude

Rosie Lowman, Young Carers Services Manager, says; “We wanted to support young carers to share what they are feeling and experiencing, especially over the pandemic – and amplify their voices. We know that young carers have been hit hard, with many doing a lot more caring. In this film, the only voices you will hear are that of the young carers themselves, telling their story, their way.”

Care for the Carers Chief Executive, Jennifer Twist, says: “I’m really delighted that we’ve had the opportunity to support young carers to produce this film. Most young carers want to keep supporting the person they care for, but it can also be a very worrying and isolating experience.  Caring often has  a lasting impact on young peoples’ long term outcomes, in particular  their health, wellbeing and education.

“We want to ensure that our local community recognises and supports young carers, so they know that they are not left to care alone.

“We want to thank this inspirational group of young carers, Culture Shift and the Ragdoll Foundation for making this film possible, along with Masonic Charitable Foundation and our other funders, for their continued support of our Young Carers Service.”

Care for the Carers

Care for the Carers is the Carers Centre for East Sussex and an independent charity supporting unpaid carers across the county. The charity is commissioned to provide services to carers by East Sussex County Council and the NHS.

The charity provides free practical and emotional advice to Carers and a range of services. Services include referrals to other local services, outreach support, one-to-one crisis help and guidance, coaching, training, wellbeing and support groups, activities and counselling. They strive to create carer friendly communities and peer support opportunities across Sussex.

Care for the Carers aims to do more to help carers in East Sussex through raising awareness, fundraising and volunteering. Their work ensures that no one is left to care alone. Further information is at: www.cftc.org.uk, phone 01323 738390 or email info@cftc.org.uk.

Young Carers’ Action Day

Young Carers Action Day takes place on 16 March 2022. An annual event led by Carers Trust, the day raises awareness and calls for action to increase support for young people with caring responsibilities.

Young carers highlighted how having the right support in place – such as regular short breaks from caring – can be really beneficial, giving them a better chance of succeeding in all parts of their lives.

Find out more at: Young Carers’ Action Day.

What is ‘a young carer’?

A young carer is someone under 18, and a young adult carer is someone who is aged 16-25 years old, who helps to look after a family member or friend who is ill, disabled, has a mental health condition or misuses drugs or alcohol.

There are an estimated 800,000 young carers (Children’s Society) and 376,000 young adult carers (Carers Trust) in the UK.

Many young carers and young adult carers report positive experiences because of their caring role, including increased maturity; and development of life, care-related and social skills. But caring can also negatively impact on their wellbeing:

·         27% of young carers aged 11-15 miss school. (Children’s Society, 2021)

·         80% of young carers felt more isolated during the pandemic. (Ibid)

·         1 in 3 young carers have a mental health issue.(Ibid)

·         89% of carers under 24 years old said they had felt lonely or socially isolated as a result of their caring role. (Carers UK, 2017)

·         Young adult carers are twice as likely to be Not in Education, Employment or Training than young adults with no caring responsibilities. (Carers Trust, 2019)

Also in: Hastings People

« Maureen Connett remembered
RIP Dave Sansbury »