How the council is supporting young carers

Bridgend County Borough Council will mark Young Carer’s Action Day this year by promoting the support available to Young Carers.

Young Carer’s Action Day, which takes place on March 16 this year, is a day to raise awareness of young carers and the pressures that they face. This year the theme of the day is ‘Taking action on isolation’.

Bridgend County Borough Council recently relaunched the Bridgend Young Carer’s ID Card scheme, an initiative which provides young carers with an ID card that can be used to help professionals including doctors, teachers and pharmacists recognise the carer and subsequently provide the appropriate support they need and deserve.

The Bridgend Young Carer ID Card is part of a Wales-wide scheme, funded by Welsh Government in collaboration with Carers Trust Wales and Local Authorities.

Young carers provide vital help, usually to family members, with day-to-day tasks such as cooking, housework and shopping. Other help they also provide can include physical care, emotional support, personal care, collecting prescriptions and helping someone communicate, or looking after their brothers and sisters.

Many young people can become isolated when they look after a family member or friend who, because of disability, illness, mental health problems or addiction would not be able to cope without them. Young Carer’s action Day aims to shine a light on this issue and offer help and support to those in need.

Young carers provide selfless help to people close to them and we want to be there to help. Those in need of support are urged to get in touch with the Bridgend Young Carers Wellbeing Project team.

To help make sure we give you and the person you support the best and most appropriate information, advice and help possible, please let us know about your caring responsibilities. You can also do this by contacting your school support teacher.

We are here to help and support in any way we can.

Councillor Jane Gebbie