Young carers recognised in North Lincolnshire

Young carers in North Lincolnshire have taken leading roles in a film to raise awareness of young carers; their roles and responsibilities and the impact it has on young people.
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The film will be premiered on 26 May 2015 at 11am at Café Indiependent in Scunthorpe.

To help raise money for the Young Carers Fund a craft fair is also being held at the film premiere. It will include a whole range of stalls; there will be everything from unique gifts to face painting.

There are still spaces left for further stalls and it only costs £5 to have a stall. If you would like to support the Young Carers Fund and have a stall at the film premiere, contact the council’s Young Carers Service on 01724 407988.

Young Carers Fund helps provide breaks for young carers in North Lincolnshire by paying for trips and activities that they otherwise wouldn’t be able to do. Many young carers have limited social opportunities outside of school.

Young carers and the Young Carers Service in North Lincolnshire teamed up with local filmmaker Adam Ford of Imagernation Media to produce the short film. It will be used for training and presentations to highlight the roles of young carers.

Some of the young carers took the lead and starred in the film. It is a personal and realistic account of their lives as a young carer.

A young carer (aged 15) who was involved in making the film said: “It has been an excellent opportunity to talk about our lives. I hope the film helps others like teachers and school staff to understand what we do at home and how this can affect our work and moods in school. Being a young carer can be a tough job to have, but I do it because I love my mum and want to make sure she is safe and happy.”

The Young Carers Service supports children and young people aged five to 18 who care for a family member who is mentally or physically ill, has a disability, drug or alcohol problem.

It provides information, advice and support to young people who are in this position. They help find the right support for family members including the person being cared for; provide opportunities to have a break from caring responsibilities and meet other young carers and advice and support in coping with feelings and self-care.

Young carers provide a key role whether it be cooking, cleaning, offering emotional support or looking after a sibling. The role is very varied and can be challenging at times.

There are currently 97 young carers known to the Young Carers Service in North Lincolnshire. However in the latest Adolescent Lifestyle Survey* carried out in North Lincolnshire it identified 462 young carers and it is estimated that there could be up to 1,000 in North Lincolnshire (this is based on the population and national statistics on young carers).

Over the last two years the Young Carers Service has worked closely with schools and services for children and adults to raise awareness of young carers. As well as offer information and advice on how to identify and support young carers. The majority of referrals have stemmed from this work and the service relies on these referrals to help build up a clearer picture of the numbers and needs of young carers locally.

If you know of a young carer in North Lincolnshire that isn’t receiving support from the Young Carers Service you can contact the service on 01724 407988 or email [email protected].

Tracey Abrams-Porter, Young Carers Project Worker at North Lincolnshire Council said: “The film is a moving portrayal of the lives of young carers. What makes it special is that our young carers in North Lincolnshire have starred in the film. Filming it brought tears, excitement and enthusiasm, but overall it brought happiness as it gave young carers a chance to have their voices heard and share their stories.

“It has been a very exciting project to work on and we are looking forward to everyone been able to watch the film at the premiere in May.

“We are still looking for more stalls for the premiere though, so if you would like to have a stall there get in touch with us on 01724 407988. All money raised will be donated to the Young Carers Fund. This fund makes a huge difference to young carers’ lives as it gives them a break from their day-to-day lives of caring for their family member and means they can be a child for the day – and most of all have fun.”

Adam Ford from Imagernation Media said: “The film has been an exciting and emotional project. Before working on the film I had little awareness of the roles and responsibilities held by some of the children. It has been an honour to support them making the film. They were all so honest and candid about what they do on a daily basis. Some of the filming was emotional for the children but there is a real sense of group support within the young carers’ sessions. I have enjoyed working alongside the children; the project has inspired a few of them to look into filmmaking when they attend college which is great news!”

The film premiere is free to attend. Everyone is welcome to go along to Café Indiependent to watch the film and take a look at the stalls.