Parents - Does your family need support?

If you or somebody in your immediate family is elderly, unwell, disabled, have sensory impairment, mental health, drug or alcohol problems or other issues affecting the life of the family, and you are relying on your children to help you, then Kids Who Care may be able to assist. The services provided by this project are FREE to young carers, and are supported by charitable grants, donations and funding. Don’t feel isolated, anxious and depressed about your family situation – contact Kids Who Care, who really do care.

Often parents do not recognise that their children are young carers. They see them as simply being part of the family where they help out and support other family members who have additional needs. Sometimes young carers provide support when the family is going through a traumatic time, such as a death in the family, domestic abuse, divorce or separation. A young carer’s education (attendance/achievement), mental and physical health, social or emotional development may be affected by their caring responsibilities in the family.

Kids Who Care is the only young carers’ project in Mid Devon and is supported locally by Unite – Carers in Mid Devon, a registered charitable company. It was set up in 2005 in response to an identified need to provide practical and emotional support to young carers who undertake a significant caring role.

Kids Who Care -

• identifies and supports young carers in Mid Devon
• helps raise awareness of the issues and needs of Young carers and their families and identify any gaps in provision
• provides services that reflect the needs, wishes and aspirations of young carers
• recruits, trains and supports volunteer mentors to work on a one-to-one basis with young carers.
• provides volunteers with the opportunity to obtain skills, gain training, and develop experience in youth work and social care.
• develops a model of best practice for young carer projects.

Quotes from Parents:

“Kids Who Care have made a huge difference to our lives and he is now achieving success at school, and has some good friends to have fun with.”

“I feel angry that I am ill, and guilty for relying on my children. I know they’re not responsible for me but they feel they are and I do rely on them. If they can join Kids Who Care and have some fun, then that is good for all of us.”

“I know my children can be angry and resentful, but there was nowhere for them to go and nobody for them to talk to. They need to be understood and his mentor at Kids Who Care does this.”

“Everyone always asks how I am but they don’t ask how my child is. Parents need to know that professionals can help children to be children and not have to grow up quickly by taking responsibility for their parents. We are all children for such a short period in our lives, but adults for most of our lives – they need to have some fun.”