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Knowsley Young Carers Project provides essential
support for children aged up to and including 18 years old who are the
primary carers for relatives with illnesses or disabilities.
Established in 1993, it is not only one of the oldest
young carers' support projects in the country, but also one of the busiest.
Operating out of a small, but welcoming office in
Norbury Close, Kirkby, the Knowsley Young Carers Project provides a wide
range of support and advice in a friendly and informal atmosphere. They
also provide a social club once a week for young carers to meet and socialise.
The club is in Kirkby, but transport can be arranged.
In addition to offering information and support,
the service, funded and supported by Knowsley Social Services, also provides
a range of social activities, including trips to the cinema, bowling,
theatres or weekends away. For many of the service's clients, it is an
opportunity to meet and talk to other young people with similar backgrounds
and to share their worries and experiences.
Project Manager, Karen White, told Huyton Today,
“Our aim is to make the task of caring easier for young carers. We
currently support about 150 young carers, but we know that there are more
out there who would benefit from the help and support this project can
give.”
Karen welcomes informal enquiries from young carers,
families, professionals, voluntary agencies or from any interested person.
With the agreement of the young carer involved, referrals can be made
direct to the Project Manager.
Who are Young Carers?
Young carers are children and young people who take
on significant practical and emotional responsibility for the care of
sick or disabled relatives.
Such relatives might be parents, grandparents, brothers
or sisters with disabilities, physical/mental illness or alcohol/drug
dependency.
Taking on such responsibility can have a significant
impact on children’s lives. It may affect them physically, emotionally
and socially. Caring can also affect the child’s own education and
social experiences.
There is no lower age limit for children to be defined
as carers. Very young children can, and do, take on significant caring
responsibilities.
If you know somebody who is acting as a young
carer, please contact Karen White on 0151 548 5101.
Friends
of Knowsley Young Carers
The Friends of Knowsley Young Carers is a registered
charity that raises funds to spend on activities and facilities. The children
and young people involved decide themselves how the money which is raised
is spent, with help and guidance from a small group of trustees. At present
the Friends’ principal supporter is Barclaycard. Staff from this
company joined a group of young carers last September on a trip to Camelot.
Any local businesses who wish to support the
Young Carers Project through the Friends organisation should contact Karen
White on 0151 548 5101.
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