A Young Carer is defined as 'a person under 18 who provides or intends to provide care for another person (of any age, except where that care is provided for payment or voluntary work)'

Many families share tasks and support within their homes. Young Carers are those children and young people who have a wider responsibility within the family than their peers, because of the needs of the person being cared for.

The BCP Council Young Carers Service has the following criteria. A BCP young carer must:

• be resident in Bournemouth, Christchurch or Poole
• be between 5 and 18 years of age
• have a caring role for a significant adult or sibling in their family and the significant adult or sibling has a chronic illness, either mental or physical and/or a disability (including sensory loss). This will also include drug and alcohol misuse
• undertake care and tasks for this significant adult or sibling. The tasks should be over and above what would normally be expected of a young person, e.g. helping the parent with their personal care, getting them up in the morning, getting them washed, dressed, looking after siblings, helping with medication
• the role of caring may be impacting on the young person's emotional and/or physical health, education or social development.

For details of support available for young carers in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, please see our information page.