Young Carer – Richmond Carers Centre

Jamal, aged 10, helps provide care and support to his mother who suffers from poor mental health and experiences chronic fatigue. Jamal is the eldest of two siblings – a younger sister who is 8 and a brother who is just 1 years old. As a result, Jamal carries a significant amount of responsibility in the household. His mother is a single parent with little support network so relies heavily on him for support.

When Jamal’s mother is unwell, he helps with caring for his younger siblings. This involves helping to change his brother’s nappy, carrying or holding his brother and keeping both younger siblings entertained at home by playing with them. Jamal will also help with preparing meals and physical chores in the home, as his mum’s physical health makes such tasks difficult to carry out. If his mother’s fatigue is severe enough, he will help her get dressed.

Professionals around Jamal, including teachers, had become concerned about the level of responsibility Jamal was taking on in the home for his young siblings and mother. It was having an impact on his emotional wellbeing. Jamal is very aware of his mother’s low moods and worries about how she is doing. This had been recognised by school professionals who identified that if he is worried about his mum, his behaviour can deteriorate, and he can have an “oppositional attitude” in lessons.

The concern from professionals led to them make a referral to Richmond Carers Centre – Young Carers Service. While they had tried to support him within school, things had not improved. Professionals involved with the family, in agreement with Jamal’s mother, felt he would benefit from having a break away from his caring responsibilities and having a space to talk about his worries.

Since accessing support from Richmond Carers Centre, Jamal has engaged with a range of services to help improve his all-round wellbeing. Jamal has regularly engaged with respite and activity support, including after school groups and holiday activity programmes. Jamal has said he enjoys getting the opportunity to take a break away from his home, while also having the chance to meet other young carers who also understand how challenging being a young carer can be. This has helped Jamal feel less isolated and has helped him realise that there are many other young people whom he can identify with.

Jamal has also benefitted from accessing emotional wellbeing support through Richmond Carers Centre’s mentoring programme. This programme has provided a safe space for Jamal to share his worries about his mum, and the frustrations he feels towards the added responsibility he takes on at home. Jamal expressed “I feel more confident, and I have learnt new things. I like being able to talk about how I help my mum”

“It has helped me express my feelings more. It has helped me care for my mum and brother better and has given me more time to myself to do things that I enjoy. I also feel happy knowing about other young carers and getting to meet them.”

To find out more about Richmond Carers Centre, visit Home – Richmond Carers Centre.