Bridgend Young Carers are marking Carers Week (11-17 June) with a series of talks and awareness raising sessions around the Bridgend area including schools and the Prince of Wales Hospital.
Carers Week is an opportunity to highlight the role of young and young adult carers aged 8-25 across Wales and the UK who work around the clock providing care and support to a family member.
The Action for Children project works to make the child or young person’s caring role a more positive experience by offering emotional support, information and guidance, activities, short breaks, training and consultation opportunities.
Oliver (12), from Bridgend, looks after his brother, Leo, who has Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) and also helped write the recent young cares book, The Bear Who Struggled to Care. He said: ‘I have always looked after my brother as he needs a lot of help. PDA can mean Leo often tries to escape a situation when anxious or harm himself and others. I’ve learnt how to keep an eye on him and can spot dangers quickly in the house or when we’re out. I love my brother and it feels very normal to look after him and help my mum whenever I can.
‘I like to go to Action for Children young carer groups as it gives me a break and I meet with other young people who do the same sort of things I do and understand my situation. I also like the activities and days out as I get to think about other things. They’re great fun and I even got to co-pilot a plane last weekend through Bridgend Young Carers.’
Rhian Bennett, family support practitioner at Bridgend Young Carers,
said: “There are many young people in South Wales like Oliver who care for someone at home and go unrecognised. Doing the awareness sessions at places like Prince of Wales Hospital for Carers Week is a perfect opportunity to highlight the support these young people need, caring for family members who may be ill or have a disability. We want all young carers in the county to be identified early, receive the support they need and be recognised for the unpaid care they provide.’
For further media information please contact Alastair Love, media officer at Action for Children, on 02920 347068 / 07872 675688 / alastair.love@actionforchildren.org.uk
Out–of–hours enquiries should be directed to the duty press officer on 07802 806679/ media.team@actionforchildren.org.uk
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