Young Carers Service

A young carer is someone under 18 who helps look after someone in their family, or a friend, who is ill, disabled, has a mental health condition or misuses drugs or alcohol. They might help with practical tasks at home, physical care, emotional support, look after siblings, run errands, go shopping or remind the person they look after to take their medication.

Our service uses a whole family approach, which ensures that both children and parents are able to get the support they need, at the right time, ensuring families receive integrated, coordinated, multi-agency, solution focused support. By identifying problems early, all services can work more closely together to help prevent a family’s needs escalating and requiring intervention that is more intensive.

All young carers are will have an assessment of their needs which identifies the level of caring and how this is impacting on the young person’s life. A Plan is then put in place with the young carer and their family to support to reduce the impact of caring, and ensure that the young person is allowed the same life opportunities are their peers.

• Young Carers Assessment
• Whole family support
• One to one sessions
• Access to Carers Breaks fund 
• Respite activities each month
• A regular newsletter

Referrals are taken through the Northumberland County Council's website by completing the Young Carer Wellbeing Check. This is then passed on to the Young Carers Support Worker at Carers Northumberland. You can find the form here: 

Anne-Marie Johnstone – 07500 886 319

Karen Lightley – 07500 886 321

Telephone: 01670 320026 

Email: youngcarers@carersnorthumberland.org.uk