Caring for Bristol’s young carers

When Kai Richard’s mum had a brain aneurysm, he stepped into the role of carer for her – cleaning, cooking and looking after his younger sisters.

At the age of 18, he is one of around 3,916* young adult carers in Bristol and South Gloucestershire who provide vital support for a family member.

Some 1,384 children under the age of 16 across the region carry out the same role.

Young carers are more at risk of suffering with mental health issues, with nearly half of 16-24-year-olds in caring roles reporting experiences of depression and anxiety, compared to just over a third of non-carers, according to research by the Carers Trust. Many find it difficult getting the support they need.

In a bid to highlight the importance of mental health, young carers have collaborated with the Carers Support Centre Bristol and South Gloucestershire to share their own experiences and top wellbeing tips.

Kai (main photo) finds solace in music, but says the answer is to find something to enjoy and not let others stop you from doing it.

“Music can help even if you don’t realise it,” says the teenager. “If you’re not into music then you can socialise – I socialise either with other young carers or I do climbing and have a laugh.

“Find something you enjoy and keep at it. Don’t let anyone stop you from doing it even if it’s silly. It may help you even without you realising it.

Hanna Sampson, 15, cares for her younger sister, who has autism, and helps her to stay calm and safe, while also helping around her Bishopsworth home.

She is passionate about wanting to raise the awareness of young carers, especially of their mental health and the impact that caring can have.

Her top wellbeing tip is: “Have a safe thing you can go to when you are feeling really anxious, stressed and overwhelmed.

“Mine is Harry Potter and Marvel. What you can do is completely absorb yourself into a whole new world which makes you so much more happy. No matter how big or small this thing is it’s going to help you a lot.”

Nicol recognises signs when her dad’s mental health takes a turn for the worse

Nicol is 17 and has her own personal experience with mental health.

She is also a mental health young carer for her Dad, who has PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder) after fighting in the Bosnian War and has suffered from panic attacks and – on occasions – attempted suicide.

Nicol recognises signs if her dad’s mental health takes a turn and has called an ambulance when he has attempted to take his own life. She also looks after her younger sibling and takes on the household tasks when her dad can’t.

She finds that art helps with her own anxiety, saying: “Something like drawing, painting or some type of drama or performance art can help because it helps you calm down and focus on something else other than caring and lets you take a break for a moment.”

Giving advice to carers, Kama McKenzie, young carers service manager at Carers Support Centre Bristol and South Gloucestershire, says: “If you are struggling with your own mental health and you haven’t already done so, one of the most important things to do is to talk to somebody.

“This could be a keyworker at the Young Carers Service, it could be talking to your GP or your parent, or a health professional or a youth worker. But it’s really important that you do talk – even if you just want to talk to a friend.”

The #CareForMeToo campaign, organised by national charity the Carers Trust, aims to raise awareness of young carers’ mental health and wellbeing and improve the support they have available to them.

*According to the ONS Census 2011.

Read more: ‘I was a mini adult looking after everyone’