It’s estimated there are around 700,000 young carers in the UK, with Wales having the highest proportion of any country in the union according to the Carers Trust. Caring for a loved one when you’re under 18 is a big responsibility and means you might need some extra practical and mental health support.

Ceredigion Young Carers provides one to one support to young people in the county who look after a family member who has a long-term disability, illness, mental health condition or substance-related issue. That may be a brother or sister, parent, grandparent or any other relative. The service is there to make sure children have the right help to deal with the physical, emotional and educational challenges being a young carer involves. It gives them the opportunity to have a well-deserved break from their caring role, meet other young carers and take part in a range of activities.

With reduced social interaction and an increase in caring hours due to the Coronavirus restrictions, it’s especially important for young carers to be able to access support at the moment. Online services in particular can be a lifeline. For children in Ceredigion, the county’s Young Carers Facebook page is a great resource for useful information. It covers a wide range of topics including fun activities, mindfulness and mental health exercises, workshops on how to stay safe online, details of changes or policies that affect young carers (like the new carer ID card scheme) as well as plenty of information on other services that are available.

If you or a young carer you know might benefit from a bit of extra support, visit Ceredigion Young Carers on Facebook or the Action for Children Wales website.