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Site was last updated: Thursday 17th May 2012

Christmas Unwrapped - Young Carers

Christmas Unwrapped - Young Carers # #

Date added: Tuesday 2nd November 2010
Latest updated: Wednesday 11th April 2012

FACTS:
■ There are approx 7,000 young carers across Devon
looking after a sick or disabled relative.

■ The average young carer is 12 and has spent four
years caring before they receive any support.

■ 56% live in single parent households and more than 1
in 10 care for more than one person.


“My mentor at Kids Who Care is cool. She’s like a grandma and takes me out to do stuff, and I don’t have to look after my brothers and sisters when I am with her,” says young carer Anne. The work of young carers helping a dependent relative doesn’t stop over Christmas. In many ways the load just increases. “At Christmas families are often under more pressure than usual. They are all thrown together for a period of time instead of going to work or school. Expectations are also raised so young carers often take on more responsibility to ensure that the person they care for is safe, happy and able to enjoy the holiday period,” says Cathy Kingham at charity Carewise, organising a pre-Christmas break for young carers at the Calvert Trust on Exmoor. “One of the toughest things for young carers at Christmas is that schools are shut,” says Martin Smith at carer charity Cool Recovery in Torquay. It is planning to keep its drop in centre open throughout the Christmas period.

Devon Community Foundation supported 131 groups helping young carers and disadvantaged young people over the last year.

DONATE NOW to elevate the pressure on young carers in Devon.

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