Musings on Section 6

We pray for young people with a caring responsibility in the home

Where without their contribution the family just wouldn’t work

Young people who cannot meet friends because they are caring for a relative.

Young people who take on extra responsibility

These are your young people and we pray for them: We know you love them

www.victoriacares.org.uk

Rather than me tell you about young carers see the Victoria Cares website where Spurgeons and Share Creative, tell the story of a 12 year old girl who cares for her mum, while her Dad works to put food on the table.

From http://www.spurgeons.org/young-carers

Many of the UK’s young carers live without the security and support that most of us would consider priceless. Family circumstances mean that from an early age they are expected to care for someone else. Often this is because parents work long hours, or are victims of domestic violence, depression or substance abuse. Other parents are simply too ill to look after things themselves.

Young carers are expected to assume a level of responsibility that would normally only be asked of an adult. The stress and anxiety of carrying adult burdens can leave them feeling isolated and left-out. Many miss out on their childhood as time constraints make it impossible for them to attend school or take part in leisure activities with their peers.

Spurgeons know that these children need help to overcome the challenges they face. We work in partnership with other agencies to support young carers individually and within their families in a range of ways, including:

• Days off to have fun with other children
• Information, advice and practical help for the family
• Access to educational support
• One-to-one sessions with a trained workers
• Homework clubs and tutorials
• Befriending and mentoring support

For many of these young people this isn’t an extra burden they have to carry its a normal way of life. That doesn’t mean to say that they shouldn’t get extra help and support just that we need to see what extra support looks like to them and find ways we can assist without making them feel helpless or useless to the one they usually care for. Nor does it mean that we shouldn't celebrate the work that they do and the good news for them in their lives.