It's thought many of the 6,000 young carers across Lincolnshire may be feeling the pressure

There are fears looking after a loved one maybe impacting on their own lives

It's thought many young carers across Lincolnshire may be feeling the pressure
Author: Andy MarshPublished 7th Jun 2023

There are major concerns about the impact caring for a relative can have on the 6 thousand young people in Lincolnshire who look after someone.

It's as the first ever Parliamentary inquiry into how being a young carer affects their lives will launch this afternoon.

Chloe Rollings from Lincolnshire became a young carer at 19 to look after her brother when he had a serious accident and suffered a brain injury.

She was about to start her law degree when she began her new role.

So many of my big life decisions have been influenced by my caring role

She spoke to us about her experiences and told us:

"It was things like helping him to get his lunch ready so he was able to make it and a big part of that was not having to find anything in the kitchen - it just being there."

"And it was also helping him get to and from school."

"So many of my big life decisions have been influenced by my caring role and the family dynamic."

If you don't have the respite you need it can be exhausting

"There was a huge process where I grieved a future I would never have, I grieved relationships I would not have with family members who were still in my life."

"I was lucky to still have my brother but I didn't have him the way I did previously."

We also spoke to Sharon Westerman who's a carers strategy worker in North East Lincolnshire.

She said: "If they don't get the respite that they need it can be exhausting so it's important we're making sure that carers are recognised in a timely fashion and offered the support that's available to them."

"We can given information and advice to carers and we can offer them low level counselling and a befriending service."

"We also do have those specialist advisors to ensure they're getting all eligible benefits."

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