LISTEN: More than 10,000 youngsters in Lancashire are carers
It's been revealed that more than 10,000 youngsters in Lancashire are carers for their family members.
It's been revealed that more than 10,000 youngsters in Lancashire are carers for their family members.
This comes on Young Carers Awareness Day - it's thought 4,000 young carers in our county are under the age of 18.
The Fylde Coast Carers Centre says there are 3,200 young carers in their borough.
Rock FM reporter Amy Scarisbrick spoke to Camilla Ball from the Fylde. She's looked after her mum since she was 11 and says at first she didn't realise that she had become a carer:
Lancashire County Councillor Matthew Tomlinson, cabinet member for children, young people and schools, said: "We're glad to support the Young Carers Awareness Day on Thursday to raise awareness of the crucial role these young people have in their families.
"Our most recent figures indicate that we have around 10,000 young people in Lancashire who are providing care. We understand that about 4,000 of these are under the age of 18.
"The care they provide ranges from 19 hours to more than 50 hours every week. This can mean that they face many issues, and can be under a lot of strain because they are constantly juggling family, school and their personal life. As a result, their childhoods can be very different from those of their peers.
"We want to help schools, colleges, employers and the public to be able to assist these young people, and make sure that they are able to access the right support."
You can find out more about the Fylde Coast Carers Centre here