Practical tasks, like cooking, housework and shopping.

Physical care such as helping someone get out of bed.

Emotional support, including talking to someone who is distressed.

Personal care, such as helping someone dress.

Managing the family budget and collecting prescriptions.

Helping to give medicine.

Helping someone communicate.

Looking after brothers and sisters with additional needs

Families affected by drug or alcohol misuse

Being a young carer can have a big impact on the things that are important to growing up:

• It can affect a young person’s health, social life and self-confidence.
• Many young carers struggle to juggle their education and caring which can cause pressure and stress.
• In a national survey, 39% said that nobody in their school was aware of their caring role.
• 1 in 20 miss school because of their caring role.
• But young people can learn lots of useful skills by being a young carer

• Young carer meetings in school
• Pastoral support 
• Information on the Young Carer’s display board in the cross roads
• Leaflets and literature available
• Contact with families during lockdown

With so many adult responsibilities, sometimes we miss out on opportunities that other young people have. 

Often we worry about those at home, it can be hard to concentrate in school.

We can feel lonely, with no relief from the pressures at home, and no chance to enjoy a normal childhood. 

Young Carers are often afraid to ask for help for fear of letting the family down or being taken into care.

“There are Young Carer groups within the community”

“We have a Young Carer group in school”

“There is support in school and staff who understand and give me information to help me”

“I have access to a school telephone should I need to call home”

“1-1 sessions with our Young Carer worker are really  helpful”

“I love meeting other people my age in school who are Young Carer’s”

“Feeling supported and helped”

“I love it when we are invited to have afternoon tea in school with other young carers”

 

WEST NORFOLK CARERS …..... is a small independent charity, with a strong history supporting unpaid carers and their families. The youngest, young carer they support is 6 years old and the oldest person they support is 97 years old. Working across such a range of ages, they tailor support to the individual, so each person gains support appropriate to their needs. They work to help family carers to improve their emotional and physical well-being, resilience and abilities to cope with their caring roles - whilst also having a ‘life of their own’. They are dedicated to supporting family carers of all ages and helping them to cope with their caring responsibilities.
Many people who have a caring role often do not necessarily think of themselves as carers. Therefore, they may be unaware of the services and support that exists for them. They wish to extend their impact and make more of a positive difference to even more carers living locally.
 

If you’d like to speak to a member of their team or make a referral, please contact-

20 Thoresby College, Queen Street
King’s Lynn, Norfolk, PE30 1HX

(01553) 768155
info@westnorfolkcarers.org.uk

Save the date! Young Carers Action Day – Tuesday 16 March 2022

Young Carers Action Day (YCAD) is an annual event all about young carers, and now also young adult carers. It was formerly known as Young Carers Awareness Day. Young Carers Action Day is an opportunity to make real change for young carers and young adult carers. 

 

 

 

SCOPE offer free energy and water advice to disabled people, helping them to manage their energy and water needs.

The service is open to:

any disabled person or households where 1 or more disabled people live, and those households are in England or Wales

We are experiencing high demand for telephone appointments. You can still get telephone appointments and new appointments are being released each week.

You can also get advice by email at Disability.EnergySupport@Scope.org.uk.

Support with your energy and water needs

Our expert advisers can help and talk you through a wide range of topics related to your energy and water needs, including:

managing energy and water debt changing your meter energy and water efficiency accessing benefits, grants, and trusts free fuel vouchers (conditions apply) contacting or complaining to your supplier understanding your gas and electricity bills understanding how to use your heating systems support registering with the Priority Services Register

Applying for energy support

Please be aware, there is currently a high demand for telephone appointments.

You can still book a telephone appointments and new appointments are released each week.

Apply for energy support

If you cannot wait for an appointment. You can contact us by email at Disability.EnergySupport@Scope.org.uk.

Appointments

You will get a telephone appointment with an energy adviser that will last up to 45 minutes. During this appointment you will get information and advice specific to your needs. Your adviser will arrange any follow up appointments, if needed.

To get the most out of your appointment, please try to give your adviser as much detail as possible. You should have pen and paper for taking notes and the following information easily available:

your most recent gas or electricity bill an up to date meter reading, if possible details of any missed payments or arrears details of any payment plans agreed with your energy supplier Personalised action plans You will also get support through a personalised action plan, setting out steps for you to take to resolve the problem. This may include contacting other services for additional advice and support.”

https://www.scope.org.uk/disability-energy-support/

This website page (also from Scope) gives a useful overview of the general energy help available, much of which has been shared by us over the past few years.

Something which you may not have previously heard of is this news item:

Rebates when you use an oxygen concentrator

If you use an oxygen concentrator at home, you can get a rebate for the electricity it uses. The company that supplies your concentrator can make payments to your bank account.

Call the Electricity Rebates (BOC Home Oxygen Service) Patient Service Centre on freephone 0800 136 603.

Call the Electricity Refund (Air Liquide Healthcare) rebate team on freephone 0800 781 9939.

https://www.scope.org.uk/advice-and-support/government-payments-discounts-heating-bills/

 

Support fund for carers to help reduce the impact of COVID-19 and caring on their health, wellbeing and opportunities.

Caring Together are aware that some Young Carer’s may not have access to everything they need to facilitate them to take part in on-line learning. With this in mind,  they have a small amount of funding available to Young Carers to help them with their studies.

For more information and to download an application form please click on the links below:

Carer Choices Application Form

Carer Choices Guidance Notes

During COVID-19 many more people have become carers to friends, family and neighbours. If you're caring for someone over the age of 18 it's important you get a carer's emergency card. This will ensure that that person will be safe if you're caught up in an emergency.

How to get a carer's emergency card

Go to: https://www.norfolk.gov.uk/care-support-and-health/get-help-with-looking-after-someone/support-for-carers/sign-up-for-a-carers-emergency-card

Create your carer’s emergency plan online. This is a set of information that includes: 

• Details about the person you care for 
• The things you do to help them 
• Names of emergency contacts 

If you're unable to fill in the online form, call us on 0344 800 8020 (textphone 0344 800 8011). 

We'll send you a carer’s emergency card (the size of a small credit card) which you should carry with you at all times.

The card states that you’re a carer and that someone is relying on you to keep them safe and well. It also shows your Emergency Plan number and the emergency helpline number. 

What happens in an emergency? 

You, or someone on your behalf, should call the emergency helpline number and give the number of your Emergency Plan. 

Please also see details of Support for carers:

https://www.norfolk.gov.uk/Care-support-and-health/Get-help-with-looking-after-someone/Support-for-carers