New ID card launched for Stockton young carers on #youngcarersday
The card, introduced by Eastern Ravens Trust, will identify young carers to doctors and teachers.
A Stockton charity is launching a special ID card for young carers in the town, as part of Young Carers Awareness Day.
Eastern Ravens Trust is bringing in the card to help people who're providing ongoing care for a family member get the support they need.
Young carers can often find themselves repeatedly explaining their circumstances to teachers or doctors, but it's hoped the card will reduce this.
The card will display the young person's name, school and photograph.
The Young Carers Card is supported by Stockton and Hartlepool Councils as well as the town's Clinical Commissioning Group.
It's as new figures reveal that 80 per cent of children who care for a relative don't have a proper childhood compared to their friends.
15-year-old Bailey Shaw started caring when he was only 8 years old, and now cares for four relatives in total.
He said: "Sometimes I need to get out and I have to say 'mam, dad you're going to have to cope for a bit.'
"I just get out of the house for half an hour.
"Then at the same time I feel guilty, that I'm out having a good time and my parents are at home struggling.
"At the end of the day you don't know what you're walking into.
"Your mam or dad could have had an accident.
"Every time I come home from school I prepare myself for if something has happened."
11-year-old Charlie Johnson cares for her mam who's living with cancer.
She said: "The card will help because sometimes I can't finish off my homework as quick.
And it'll be much easier because before I had to help my mam get to the bus stop because she needed to go to the hospital.
"So by the time I got to school I was late and I couldn't explain why I was late; I felt like I couldn't tell them.
"I didn't want everyone to know."
Tracey Hamilton, Eastern Ravens Trust Manager, said: “Caring for family members can often have a negative effect on young carers which results in them feeling tired and stressed.
"Young carers can also become socially isolated and lack confidence which impacts greatly on their educational ability.
"The Young Carers Card is designed to support young carers and enable them to ask for help, where needed, to prevent a crisis from occurring."
Anyone wanting more information about Eastern Ravens Trust or the support available to young carers across the Borough can contact 01642 678454 or email info@easternravenstrust.org